"A  series  of  masterly  and  rapid  evolutions  with  the 
horses  now  commenced.  The  wheelings,  the  charges, 
the  advances  and  the  circuitous  retreats  were  like  the 
flights  of  circling  swallows.  " 


THE  LEATHER  STOCKING  TALES 
UNCAS  EDITION 


BY 


W 


J.  FENIMORE  COOPER 

'       fo 
-  i  f 


CURRENT  LITERATURE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  geological  formation  of  that  portion  of  the  Amer 
ican  Union  which  lies  between  the  Alleghanies  and  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  has  given  rise  to  many  ingenious  theo 
ries.  Virtually,  the  whole  of  this  immense  region  is  a 
plain.  For  a  distance  extending  nearly  fifteen  hundred 
miles  east  and  west,  and  six  hundred  north  and  south, 
there  is  scarcely  an  elevation  worthy  to  be  called  a  moun 
tain.  Even  hills  are  not  common;  though  a  good  deal  of 
the  face  of  the  country  has  more  or  less  of  that  "rolling" 
character,  which  is  described  in  the  opening  pages  ot  this 
work. 

There  is  much  reason  to  believe  that  the  territory  which 
now  composes  Ohio,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Michigan,  and  a 
large  portion  of  the  country  west  of  the  Mississippi,  lay 
formerly  under  water.  The  soil  of  all  the  former  States 
has  the  appearance  of  an  alluvial  deposit;  and  isolated 
rocks  have  been  found,  of  a  nature  and  in  situations  which 
render  it  difficult  to  refute  the  opinion  that  they  have 
been  transferred  to  their  present  beds  by  floating  ice. 
This  theory  assumes  that  the  Great  Lakes  were  the  deep 
pools  of  one  immense  body  of  fresh  water,  which  lay  too 
low  to  be  drained  by  the  irruption  that  laid  bare  the  land. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  French,  when  masters 
of  the  Canadas  and  Louisiana,  claimed  the  whole  of  the 
territory  in  question.  Their  hunters  and  advanced  troops 
held  the  first  communications  with  the  savage  occupants, 
and  the  earliest  written  accounts  we  possess  of  these  vast 
regions  are  from  the  pens  of  their  missionaries.  Many 

iii 


iv  INTRODUCTION 

French  words  have,  consequently,  become  of  local  use  in 
this  quarter  of  America,  and  not  a  few  names  given  in 
that  language  have  been  perpetuated.  When  the  adven 
turers,  who  first  penetrated  these  wilds,  met,  in  the  center 
of  the  forests,  immense  plains  covered  with  rich  verdure 
of  rank  grasses,  they  naturally  gave  them  the  appellation 
of  meadows.  As  the  English  succeeded  the  French,  and 
found  a  peculiarity  of  nature  differing  from  all  they  had 
yet  seen  on  the  continent,  already  distinguished  by  a  word 
that  did  not  express  anything  in  their  own  language,  they 
left  these  natural  meadows  in  possession  of  their  title  of 
convention.  In  this  manner  has  the  word  "prairie"  been 
adopted  into  the  English  tongue. 

The  American  prairies  are  of  two  kinds.  Those  which 
lie  east  of  the  Mississippi  are  comparatively  small,  are 
exceedingly  fertile,  and  are  always  surrounded  by  forests. 
They  are  susceptible  of  high  cultivation,  and  are  fast  be 
coming  settled.  They  abound  in  Ohio,  Michigan,  Illinois, 
and  Indiana.  They  labor  under  the  disadvantages  of  a 
scarcity  of  wood  and  water — evils  of  a  serious  character, 
until  art  has  had  time  to  supply  the  deficiencies  of  nature. 
As  coal  is  said  to  abound  in  all  that  region,  and  wells  are 
generally  successful,  the  enterprise  of  the  emigrants  is 
gradually  prevailing  against  these  difficulties. 

The  second  description  of  these  natural  meadows  lies 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  at  a  distance  of  a  few  hundred 
miles  from  that  river,  and  is  called  the  Great  Prairies. 
They  resemble  the  steppes  of  Tartary  more  than  any  other 
known  portion  of  the  world;  being,  in  fact,  a  vast  country, 
incapable  of  sustaining  a  dense  population,  in  the  absence 
of  the  two  great  necessaries  already  named.  Rivers  abound, 
it  is  true;  but  this  region  is  nearly  destitute  of  brooks 
and  the  smaller  water-courses,  which  tend  so  much  to 
comfort  and  fertility. 


INTRODUCTION  v 

The  origin  and  date  of  the  Great  American  Prairies 
form  one  of  nature's  most  majestic  mysteries.  The  general 
character  of  the  United  States,  of  the  Canadas,  and  of 
Mexico,  is  that  of  luxuriant  fertility.  It  would  be  diffi 
cult  to  find  another  portion  of  the  world,  of  the  same  ex 
tent,  which  has  so  little  useless  land  as  the  inhabited  parts 
of  the  American  Union.  Most  of  the  mountains  are  arable; 
and  even  the  prairies,  in  this  section  of  the  republic,  are 
of  deep  alluvian.  The  same  is  true  between  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  the  Pacific.  Between  the  two  lies  the 
broad  belt  of  comparative  desert,  which  is  the  scene  of 
this  tale,  appearing  to  interpose  a  barrier  to  the  progress 
of  the  American  people  westward.  Since  the  original  pub 
lication  of  this  book,  however,  the  boundaries  of  the  re 
public  have  been  carried  to  the  Pacific,  and  the  "settler," 
preceded  by  the  "trapper,"  has  already  established  him 
self  on  the  shores  of  that  vast  sea. 

The  Great  Prairies  appear  to  be  the  final  gathering- 
place  of  the  red  men.  The  remnants  of  the  Mohicans  and 
the  Delawares,  of  the  Creeks,  Choctaws,  and  Cherokees, 
are  destined  to  fulfill  their  time  on  these  vast  plains.  The 
entire  number  of  the  Indians  within  the  Union  is  differ 
ently  computed  at  between  one  and  five  hundred  thousand 
souls.  Most  of  them  inhabit  the  country  west  of  the 
Mississippi.  At  the  period  of  the  tale  they  dwelt  in  open 
hostility,  national  feuds  passing  from  generation  to  gen 
eration.  The  power  of  the  republic  has  done  much  to 
restore  peace  to  these  wild  scenes,  and  it  is  now  possible 
to  travel  in  security  where  civilized  man  did  not  dare  to 
pass  unprotected  five-and-twenty  years  ago. 

Recent  events  have  brought  the  Grand  Prairies  mtc 
familiar  notice,  and  we  now  read  of  journeys  across  then 
as,  half  a  century  since,  we  perused  the  narratives  of  t 
emigrants  to  Ohio  and  Louisiana.  It  is  a  singular  commen 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

tary  on  the  times  that  places  for  railroads  across  these 
vast  plains  are  in  active  discussion,  and  that  men  have 
ceased  to  regard  the  project  as  chimerical.1 

This  book  closes  the  career  of  Leather-Stocking.  Pressed 
upon  by  time,  he  had  ceased  to  be  the  hunter  and  the  war 
rior,  and  has  become  a  trapper  of  the  great  west.  The 
sound  of  the  axe  has  driven  him  from  his  beloved  forests 
to  seek  a  refuge,  by  a  species  of  desperate  resignation, 
on  the  denuded  plains  that  stretch  to  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
Here  he  passes  the  few  closing  years  of  his  life,  dying  as 
he  had  lived,  a  philosopher  of  the  wilderness,  with  few  of 
the  failings,  none  of  the  vices,  and  all  the  nature  and 
truth  of  his  position. 


i  NOTE.— The  writers  of  half  a  century  ago  had  a  very  inadequate  conception 
of  the  rapid  stride  of  American  enterprise.  Railroads  that  run  in  everv  direction 
across  the  "vast  prairies"  and  onward  to  the  Pacific,  have  long  been  an  accom 
plished  fact;  the  teeming  tides  of  population  make  them  self-supporting;  and 
the  pioneers  have  pressed  on  to  the  frozen  barriers  of  the  north,  and  to  the  un 
explored  regions  of  the  southern  hemisphere.— [ED.] 


THE    PRAIRIE 


CHAPTER  I 

"I  pray  thee,  shepherd,  if  that  love,  or  gold 
Can  in  this  desert  place  buy  entertainment. 
Bring  us  where  we  may  rest  ourselves  and  feed." 

—As  You  LIKE  IT. 

MUCH  was  said  and  written,  at  the  time,  concerning  the 
policy  of  adding  the  vast  regions  of  Louisiana  to  the  al 
ready  immense  and  but  half -tenanted  territories  of  the 
United  States.  As  the  warmth  of  controversy,  however, 
subsided,  and  party  considerations  gave  place  to  more 
liberal  views,  the  wisdom  of  the  measure  begun  to  be  gen 
erally  conceded.  It  soon  became  apparent  to  the  meanest 
capacity,  that  while  nature  had  placed  a  barrier  of  desert 
to  the  extension  of  our  population  in  the  west,  the  meas 
ure  had  made  us  the  masters  of  a  belt  of  fertile  country, 
which,  in  the  revolutions  of  the  day,  might  have  become 
the  property  of  a  rival  nation.  It  gave  us  the  sole  com 
mand  of  the  great  thoroughfare  of  the  interior,  and  placed 
the  countless  tribes  of  savages,  who  lay  along  our  borders, 
entirely  within  our  control;  it  reconciled  conflicting 
rights,  and  quieted  national  distrusts;  it  opened  a  thou 
sand  avenues  to  the  inland  trade,  and  to  the  waters  of  the 
Pacific;  and,  if  ever  time  or  necessity  shall  require  a 
peaceful  division  of  this  vast  empire,  it  assures  us  of  a 
neighbor  that  will  possess  our  language,  our  religion,  our 
institutions,  and,  it  is  also  to  be  hoped,  our  sense  of 
political  justice. 

Although  the  purchase  was  made  in  1803,  the  spring  of 
the  succeeding  year  was  permitted  to  open,  before  the 
official  prudence  of  the  Spaniard,  who  held  the  province 
for  his  European  master,  admitted  the  authority,  or  eve 
the  entrance  of  its  new  proprietors.  But  the  forms  of  the 
l  1 


2  THE   PRAIRIE 

transfer  were  no  sooner  completed,  and  the  new  govern 
ment  acknowledged,  than  swarms  of  that  restless  people 
which  is  ever  found  hovering  on  the  skirts  of  American 
society,  plunged  into  the  thickets  that  fringed  the  right 
bank  of  the  Mississippi,  with  the  same  careless  hardihood 
that  had  already  sustained  so  many  of  them  in  their  toil 
some  progress  from  the  Atlantic  States  to  the  eastern 
shores  of  the  "Father  of  Rivers."1 

Time  was  necessary  to  blend  the  numerous  and  affluent 
colonists  of  the  lower  province  with  their  new  compatriots; 
but  the  thinner  and  more  humble  population  above,  was 
almost  immediately  swallowed  in  the  vortex  which  attended 
the  tide  of  instant  emigration.  The  inroad  from  the  east 
was  a  new  and  sudden  outbreaking  of  a  people  who  had 
endured  a  momentary  restraint,  after  having  been  rend 
ered  nearly  resistless  by  success.  The  toils  and  hazards  of 
former  undertakings  were  forgotten,  as  these  endless  and 
unexplored  regions,  with  all  their  fancied  as  well  as  real 
advantages,  were  laid  open  to  their  enterprise.  The  con 
sequences  were  such  as  might  easily  have  been  anticipated, 
from  so  tempting  an  offering,  placed,  as  it  was,  before 
the  eyes  of  a  race  long  trained  in  adventure,  and  nurtured 
in  difficulties. 

Thousands  of  the  elders  of  what  were  then  called  the 
new  States2  broke  up  the  enjoyment  of  their  hard-earned 
indulgences,  and  were  to  be  seen  leading  long  files  of  de 
scendants,  born  and  reared  in  the  forests  of  Ohio  and  Ken 
tucky,  deeper  into  the  land,  in  quest  of  that  which  might 
be  termed,  without  the  aid  of  poetry,  their  natural  and 
more  congenial  atmosphere.  The  distinguished  and  reso 
lute  forester  who  first  penetrated  the  wilds  of  the  latter 
State,  was  of  the  number.  This  adventurous  and  vener 
able  patriarch  was  now  seen  making  his  last  remove,  plac 
ing  the  endless  river  between  him  and  the  multitude  his 
own  success  had  drawn  around  him,  and  seeking  for  the 
renewal  of  enjoyments  which  were  rendered  worthless  in 

!The  Mississippi  is  thus  termed  in  several  of  the  Indian  languages.  The 
reader  will  gain  a  more  just  idea  of  the  importance  of  this  stream,  if  he  recalls 
ta  mind  the  fact,  that  the  Missouri  and  the  Mississippi  are  properly  the  same 
river.  Their  united  lengths  cannot  be  greatly  short  of  four  thousand  miles 

2 All  the  States  admitted  to  the  American  Union,  since  the  Revolution,  are 
called  now  States,  with  the  exception  of  Vermont;  that  had  claims  before  the 
war,  which  were  not,  however,  admitted  until  a  later  day. 


THE   PRAIRIE  3 

his  eyes,  when  trammeled  by  the  forms  of  human  institu 
tions.1 

In  the  pursuit  of  adventures  such  as  these,  men  are  or 
dinarily  governed  by  their  habits  or  deluded  by  their 
wishes.  A  few,  led  by  the  phantoms  of  hope,  and  ambi 
tious  of  sudden  affluence,  sought  the  mines  of  the  virgin 
territory;  but  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the  emigrants 
were  satisfied  to  establish  themselves  along  the  margins 
of  the  larger  water-courses,  content  with  the  rich  returns 
that  the  generous  alluvial  bottoms  of  the  rivers  never  fail 
to  bestow  on  the  most  desultory  industry.  In  this  manner 
were  communities  formed  with  magical  rapidity;  and 
most  of  those  who  witnessed  the  purchase  of  the  empty 
empire,  have  lived  to  see  already  a  populous  and  sovereign 
State  parceled  from  its  inhabitants,  and  received  into  the 
bosom  of  the  national  Union  on  terms  of  political  equality. 
The  incidents  and  scenes  which  are  connected  with  this 
legend  occurred  in  the  earliest  periods  of  the  enterprises 
which  have  led  to  so  great  and  so  speedy  a  result. 

The  harvest  of  the  first  year  of  our  possession  had  long 
been  passed,  and  the  fading  foliage  of  a  few  scatt< 
trees  was  already  beginning  to  exhibit  the  hues  and  t 
of  autumn,  when  a  train  of  wagons  issued  from  the 
of  a  dry  rivulet,  to  pursue  its  course  across  the  undulating 
surface  of  what,  in  the  language  of  the  country  of  i 
we  write,  is  called  a  "rolling  prairie."     The  vehicl 
loaded  with  household  goods  and  implements  of  husban< 
the  few  straggling  sheep  and  cattle  that  were  herde<    m 
the  rear,  and  the  rugged  appearance  and  careless  IT 
the  sturdy  men  who  loitered  at  the  sides  of  the  linger i 
teams,  united  to  announce  a  band  of  emigrants  seeking 
for  the  Eldorado  of  the  West.  Contrary  to -the j  usual  prac 
tise  of  the  men  of  their  caste,  this  party 'had  left 
tile  bottoms  of  the  low  country,  and  had  found 


"Tcolonel  Boone,  the  ^^^£^S^SS^f^S^ 
gS^ia^S,^!^^1^!^  of  ten  to  the  „„. 

mile  inconveniently  close. 


4  THE   PRAIRIE 

tend,  with  so  little  diversity  of  character,  to  the  bases  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains;  and  many  long  and  dreary  miles  in 
their  rear,  foamed  the  swift  and  turbid  waters  of  La 
Platte. 

The  appearance  of  such  a  train  in  that  bleak  and  solitary 
place  was  rendered  the  more  remarkable  by  the  fact  that 
the  surrounding  country  offered  so  little  that  was  tempt 
ing  to  the  cupidity  of  speculation,  and,  if  possible,  still 
less  that  was  flattering  to  the  hopes  of  an  ordinary  settler 
of  new  lands. 

The  meagre  herbage  of  the  prairie  promised  nothing  in 
favor  of  a  hard  and  unyielding  soil,  over  which  the  wheels 
of  the  vehicles  rattled  as  lightly  as  if  they  traveled  on  a 
beaten  road;  neither  wagons  nor  beasts  making  any  deeper 
impression  than  to  mark  that  bruised  and  withered  grass, 
which  the  cattle  plucked  from  time  to  time,  and  as  often 
rejected,  as  food  too  sour  for  even  hunger  to  render  pal 
atable. 

Whatever  might  be  the  final  destination  of  these  adven 
turers,  or  the  secret  causes  of  their  apparent  security  in 
so  remote  and  unprotected  a  situation,  there  was  no  vis 
ible  sign  of  uneasiness,  uncertainty,  or  alarm,  among 
them.  Including  both  sexes,  and  every  age,  the  number 
of  the  party  exceeded  twenty. 

At  some  little  distance  in  front  of  the  whole,  marched 
the  individual,  who,  by  his  position  and  air,  appeared  to 
be  the  leader  of  the  band.  He  was  a  tall,  sunburnt  man, 
past  the  middle-age,  of  a  dull  countenance  and  listless 
manner.  His  frame  appeared  loose  and  flexible;  but  it 
was  vast,  and  in  reality  of  prodigious  power.  It  was  only 
at  moments,  however,  as  some  slight  impediment  opposed 
itself  to  his  loitering  progress,  that  his  person,  which,  in 
its  ordinary  gait,  seemed  so  lounging  and  nerveless,  dis 
played  any  of  those  energies  which  lay  latent  in  his  sys 
tem,  like  the  slumbering  and  unwieldy,  but  terrible, 
strength  of  the  elephant.  The  inferior  lineaments  of  his 
countenance  were  coarse,  extended,  and  vacant;  while  the 
superior,  or  those  nobler  parts  which  are  thought  to  affect 
the  intellectual  being,  were  low,  receding,  and  mean. 

The  dress  of  this  individual  was  a  mixture  of  the  coars 
est  vestments  of  a  husbandman,  with  the  leathern  garments 


THE   PRAIRIE  5 

that  fashion,  as  well  as  use,  had  in  some  degree  rendered 
necessary  to  one  engaged  in  his  present  pursuits.  There 
was,  however,  a  singular  and  wild  display  of  prodigal  and 
ill-judged  ornaments  blended  with  his  motley  attire.  In 
place  of  the  usual  deerskin  belt,  he  wore  around  his  body 
a  tarnished  silken  sash  of  the  most  gaudy  colors;  the  buck- 
horn  haft  of  his  knife  was  prof usely  decorated  with  plates 
of  silver;  the  martin's  fur  of  his  cap  was  of  a  fineness  and 
shadowing  that  a  queen  might  covet;  the  buttons  of  his 
rude  and  soiled  blanket-coat  were  of  the  glittering  coinage 
of  Mexico;  the  stock  of  his  rifle  was  of  beautiful  mahog 
any,  riveted  and  banded  with  the  same  precious  metal; 
and  the  trinkets  of  no  less  than  three  worthless  watches 
dangled  from  different  parts  of  his  person.  In  addition  to 
the  pack  and  the  rifle  which  were  slung  at  his  back,  to 
gether  with  the  well-filled  and  carefully  guarded  pouch 
and  horn,  he  had  carelessly  cast  a  keen  and  bright  wood- 
axe  across  his  shoulder,  sustaining  the  weight  of  the  whole 
with  as  much  apparent  ease  as  if  he  moved  unfettered  in 
limb,  and  free  from  incumbrance. 

A  short  distance  in  the  rear  of  this  man  came  a  group 
of  youths,  very  similarly  attired,  and  bearing  sufficient 
resemblance  to  each  other,  and  to  their  leader,  to  distin 
guish  them  as  the  children  of  one  family.  Though  the 
youngest  of  their  number  could  not  much  have  passed  the 
period  that,  in  the  nicer  judgment  of  the  law,  is  called  the 
age  of  discretion,  he  had  proved  himself  so  far  worthy  of 
his  progenitors  as  to  have  reared  already  his  aspiring  per 
son  to  the  standard  height  of  his  race.  There  were  one  or 
two  others,  of  different  mould,  whose  descriptions  must, 
however,  be  referred  to  the  regular  course  of  the  narrative. 

Of  the  females,  there  were  but  two  who  had  arrived  at 
womanhood;  though  several  white-headed,  olive-skinned 
faces  were  peering  out  of  the  foremost  wagon  of  the  train, 
with  eyes  of  lively  curiosity  and  characteristic  animation. 
The  elder  of  the  two  adults  was  the  sallow  and  wrinkled 
mother  of  most  of  the  party,  and  the  younger  was  a 
sprightly  active  girl  of  eighteen,  who,  in  figure,  d 
and  mien,  seemed  to  belong  to  a  station  in  society  & 
gradations  above  that  of  any  one  of  her  visible  associa 
The  second  vehicle  was  covered  with  a  top  of  cloth  s 


6  THE   PRAIRIE 

tightly  drawn  as  to  conceal  its  contents  with  the  nicest 
care.  The  remaining  wagons  were  loaded  with  such  rude 
furniture  and  other  personal  effects  as  might  be  supposed 
to  belong  to  one  ready  at  any  moment  to  change  his  abode, 
without  reference  to  season  or  distance. 

Perhaps  there  was  little  in  this  train,  or  in  the  appear 
ance  of  its  proprietors,  that  is  not  daily  to  be  encountered 
on  the  highways  of  this  changeable  and  moving  country. 
But  the  solitary  and  peculiar  scenery  in  which  it  was  so  un 
expectedly  exhibited,  gave  to  the  party  a  marked  character 
of  wildness  and  adventure. 

In  the  little  valleys,  which  in  the  regular  formation  of 
the  land,  occurred  at  every  mile  of  their  progress,  the 
view  was  bounded  on  two  of  the  sides  by  the  gradual  and 
low  elevations  which  give  name  to  the  description  of 
prairie  we  have  mentioned;  while  on  the  others,  the 
meagre  prospect  ran  off  in  long,  narrow,  barren,  perspec 
tives,  but  slightly  relieved  by  a  pitiful  show  of  coarse, 
though  somewhat  luxuriant,  vegetation.  From  the  sum 
mits  of  the  swells,  the  eye  became  fatigued  with  the  same 
ness  and  chilling  dreariness  of  the  landscape.  The  easth 
was  'not  unlike  the  ocean,  when  its  restless  waters  are 
heaving  heavily,  after  the  agitation  and  fury  of  the  temp 
est  have  begun  to  lessen.  There  was  the  same  waving  and 
regular  surface,  the  same  absence  of  foreign  objects,  and 
the  same  boundless  extent  to  the  view.  Indeed,  so  very 
striking  was  the  resemblance  between  the  water  and  the 
land,  that,  however  much  the  geologist  might  sneer  at  so 
simple  a  theory,  it  would  have  been  difficult  for  a  poet  not 
to  have  felt  that  the  formation  of  the  one  had  been  pro 
duced  by  the  subsiding  dominion  of  the  other.  Here  and 
there  a  tall  tree  rose  out  of  the  bottoms,  stretching  its 
naked  branches  abroad,  like  some  solitary  vessel;  and,  to 
strengthen  the  delusion,  far  in  the  distance  appeared  two 
or  three  rounded  thickets,  looming  in  the  misty  horizon 
like  islands  resting  on  the  waters.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
warn  the  practised  reader  that  the  sameness  of  the  sur 
face,  and  the  low  stands  of  the  spectators,  exaggerated 
the  distances;  but,  as  swell  appeared  after  swell,  and 
island  succeeded  island,  there  was  a  disheartening  assur 
ance  that  long  and  seemingly  interminable  tracts  of  terri- 


THE   PRAIRIE  7 

tory  must  be  passed,  before  the  wishes  of  the  humblest 
agriculturist  could  be  realized. 

Still  the  leader  of  the  emigrants  steadily  pursued  his 
way  with  no  other  guide  than  the  sun,  turning  his  back 
resolutely  on  the  abodes  of  civilization,  and  plunging  at 
each  step  more  deeply,  if  not  irretrievably  into  the  haunts 
of  the  barbarous  and  savage  occupants  of  the  country.  As 
the  day  drew  nigher  to  a  close,  however,  his  mind,  which 
was,  perhaps,  incapable  of  maturing  any  connected  system 
of  forethought,  beyond  that  which  related  to  the  interests 
of  the  present  moment,  became  in  some  slight  degree 
troubled  with  the  care  of  providing  for  the  wants  of  the 
hours  of  darkness. 

On  reaching  the  crest  of  a  swell  that  was  a  little  higher 
than  the  usual  elevations,  he  lingered  a  minute,  and  cast 
a  half  curious  eye,  on  either  hand,  in  quest  of  those  well- 
known  signs  which  might  indicate  a  place  where  the  three 
grand  requisites  of  water,  fuel,  and  fodder,  were  to  be 
obtained  in  conjunction. 

It  would  seem  that  his  search  was  fruitless;  for  after  a 
few  moments  of  indolent  and  listless  examination,  he 
suffered  his  huge  frame  to  descend  the  gentle  declivity,  in 
the  same  sluggish  manner  that  an  overfatted  beast  would 
have  yielded  to  the  downward  pressure. 

His  example  was  silently  followed  by  those  who  si 
ceeded  him,  though  not  until  the  young  men  had  mam 
fested  much  more  of  interest,  if  not  of  concern,  11 
brief  inquiry  which  each  in  his  turn  made  on  gaining 
same  lookout.     It  was  now  evident,  by  the  tardy  move 
ments  both  of  beasts  and  men,  that  the  time  of  necess 
rest  was  not  far  distant.     The  matted  grass  of  the  1 
land  presented  obstacles  which  fatigue  began  to  r 
formidable,  and  the  whip  was  becoming  necess 
the  lingering  teams  to  their  labor.  At  fcis  moment^ 
with  the  exception  of  the  principal  individual    a  genera 
lassitude  was  getting  the  mastery  of  the  travelers^ 
every  eye  was  cast,  by  a  sort  of  common  '^pulse   »i si 
fully  forward,  the  whole  party  was  brought  to  a  halt,  b 
a  spectacle  as  sudden  as  it  was  unexpected. 

The  sun  had  fallen  below  the  crest  of 
of  the  prairie,  leaving  the  usual  rich  and 


8  THE   PKAIRIE 

its  track.  In  the  center  of  this  flood  of  fiery  light  a  human 
form  appeared,  drawn  against  the  gilded  background  as 
distinctly,  and  seeming  as  palpable,  as  though  it  would 
come  within  the  grasp  of  any  extended  hand.  The  figure 
was  colossal;  the  attitude  musing  and  melancholy;  and 
the  situation  directly  in  the  route  of  the  travelers.  But 
imbedded,  as  it  was,  in  its  setting  of  garish  light,  it  was 
impossible  to  distinguish  its  just  proportions  or  true 
character. 

The  effect  of  such  a  spectacle  was  instantaneous  and 
powerful.  The  man  in  front  of  the  emigrants  came  to  a 
stand,  and  remained  gazing  at  the  mysterious  object  with 
dull  interest,  that  soon  quickened  into  superstitious  awe. 

His  sons,  so  soon  as  the  first  emotions  of  surprise  had  a 
little  abated,  drew  slowly  around  him,  and  as  they  who 
governed  the  teams  gradually  followed  their  example,  the 
whole  party  was  soon  condensed  in  one  silent  and  wonder 
ing  group.  Notwithstanding  the  impression  of  a  super 
natural  agency  was  very  general  among  the  travelers,  the 
ticking  of  gun-locks  was  heard,  and  one  or  two  of  the 
bolder  youths  cast  their  rifles  forward,  in  readiness  for 
service. 

"Send  the  boys  off  to  the  right, ' '  exclaimed  the  resolute 
wife  and  mother,  in  a  sharp,  dissonant  voice;  "I  warrant 
me  Asa  or  Abner  will  give  some  account  of  the  creature!" 

"It  may  be  well  enough  to  try  the  rifle,"  muttered  a 
dull-looking  man,  whose  features,  both  in  outline  and  ex 
pression,  bore  no  small  resemblance  to  the  first  speaker, 
and  who  loosened  the  stock  of  his  piece  and  brought  it 
dexterously  to  the  front,  while  delivering  this  opinion; 
"the  Pawnee-Loups  are  said  to  be  hunting  by  hundreds  in 
the  plains;  if  so,  they'll  never  miss  a  single  man  from 
their  tribe." 

"Stay!"  exclaimed  a  soft-toned,  but  alarmed  female 
voice,  which  was  easily  to  be  traced  to  the  trembling  lips  of 
the  younger  of  the  two  women;  "we  are  not  all  together; 
it  may  be  a  friend!" 

"Who  is  scouting  now?"  demanded  the  father,  scan 
ning,  at  the  same  time,  the  cluster  of  his  stout  sons,  with 
a  displeased  and  sullen  eye.  "Put  by  the  piece,  put  by 
the  piece,"  he  continued,  diverting  the  other's  aim  with 


THE  PRAIRIE  9 

the  finger  of  a  giant,  and  with  the  air  of  one  it  might  be 
dangerous  to  deny.  "My  job  is  not  yet  ended;  let  us  fin 
ish  the  little  that  remains  in  peace." 

The  man  who  manifested  so  hostile  an  intention  ap 
peared  to  understand  the  other's  allusion,  and  suffered 
himself  to  be  diverted  from  his  object.  The  sons  turned 
their  inquiring  looks  on  the  girl  who  had  so  eagerly  spoken, 
to  require  an  explanation;  but,  as  if  content  with  the  res 
pite  she  had  obtained  for  the  stranger,  she  sank  back  in 
her  seat,  and  chose  to  affect  a  maidenly  silence. 

In  the  mean  time  the  hues  of  the  heavens  had  often 
changed.  In  place  of  the  brightness  which  had  dazzled 
the  eye,  a  gray  and  more  sober  light  had  succeeded,  and 
as  the  setting  lost  its  brilliancy,  the  proportions  of  the 
fanciful  form  became  less  exaggerated,  and  finally  distinct. 
Ashamed  to  hesitate,  now  that  the  truth  was  no  longer 
doubtful,  the  leader  of  the  party  resumed  his  jourm-y. 
using  the  precaution,  as  he  ascended  the  slight  acclivity, 
to  release  his  own  rifle  from  the  strap,  and  to  cast  it  into 
a  situation  more  convenient  for  sudden  use. 

There  was  little  apparent  necessity,  however,  for  such 
watchfulness.     From  the  moment  when  it  had  thus  una< 
countably  appeared,  as  it  were,  between  the  heavens 
the  earth,  the  stranger's  figure  had  neither  mov 
given  the  smallest  evidence  of  hostility.  Had  he  h:irb 
any  such  evil  intentions,  the  individual  who  now  c 
plainly  into  view  seemed  but  little  qualified  t 

t  Tframe  that  had  endured  the  hardships  of  more  than 
eighty  seasons  was  not  qualified  to  awaken  apprehcns.o 
in  the  breast  of  one  as  powerful  as  the  emigrant 
withstanding  his  years,  and  his  look  of  «.«£ 

of  suffering,  there  was  that  about  this  * 
however ?  which  said  that  time   and  **£**££ 
his  hand  heavily  « W^    ^^tM~ 


the  further  approaches  of  decay. 


10  THE   PRAIRIE 

skins,  worn  with  the  hair  to  the  weather;  a  pouch  and 
horn  were  suspended  from  his  shoulders;  and  he  leaned 
on  a  rifle  of  uncommon  length,  but  which,  like  its  owner, 
exhibited  the  wear  of  long  and  hard  service. 

As  the  party  drew  nigher  to  this  solitary  being,  and 
came  within  a  distance  to  be  heard,  a  low  growl  issued 
from  the  grass  at  his  feet,  and  then  a  tall,  gaunt,  tooth 
less  hound  arose  lazily  from  his  lair,  and,  shaking  himself, 
made  some  show  of  resisting  the  nearer  approach  of  the 
travelers. 

"Down,  Hector,  down!"  said  his  master,  in  a  voice  that 
was  a  little  tremulous  and  hollow  with  age.  "What  have 
ye  to  do,  pup,  with  men  who  journey  on  their  lawful 
callings?" 

"Stranger,  if  you  are  much  acquainted  in  this  coun 
try,"  said  the  leader  of  the  emigrants,  "can  you  tell  a 
traveler  where  he  may  find  necessaries  for  the  night?  ' 

"Is  the  land  filled  on  the  other  side  of  the  Big  River?" 
demanded  the  old  man  solemnly,  and  without  appearing 
to  hearken  to  the  other's  question;  "or  why  do  I  see  a 
sight  I  had  never  thought  to  behold  again?" 

"Why,  there  is  country  left,  it  is  true,  for  such  as  have 
money,  and  ar'  not  particular  in  the  choice,"  returned 
the  emigrant;  "but  to  my  taste,  it  is  getting  crowdy. 
What  may  a  man  call  the  distance  from  this  place  to  the 
nighest  point  on  the  main  river?" 

"A  hunted  deer  could  not  cool  his  sides  in  the  Missis 
sippi,  without  traveling  a  weary  hundred  miles." 

"And  what  may  you  name  the  district  here-away?" 

"By  what  name,"  returned  the  old  man,  pointing  sig 
nificantly  upwards,  "would  you  call  the  spot  where  you 
see  yonder  cloud?" 

The  emigrant  looked  at  the  other  like  one  who  did  not 
comprehend  his  meaning,  and  who  half  suspected  he  was 
trifled  with;  but  he  contented  himself  by  saying: 

"You  ar'  but  a  new  inhabitant,  like  myself,  I  reckon, 
stranger,  or  otherwise  you  would  not  be  backward  in 
helping  a  traveler  to  some  advice.  Words  cost  but  little, 
and  sometimes  lead  to  friendships." 

"Advice  is  not  a  gift,  but  a  debt  that  the  old  owe  to 
the  young.  What  would  you  wish  to  know?" 


THE   PRAIRIE  11 

i 

"Where  I  may  camp  for  the  night.  I'm  no  great  diffi 
culty  maker  as  to  bed  and  board;  but  all  old  journeyers 
like  myself  know  the  virtue  of  sweet  water,  and  a  good 
browse  for  the  cattle." 

"Come,  then,  with  me,  and  you  shall  be  master  of 
both;  and  little  more  is  it  that  I  can  offer  on  this  hungry 
prairie." 

As  the  old  man  was  speaking  he  raised  his  heavy  rifle  to 
his  shoulder  with  a  facility  a  little  remarkable  for  his 
years  and  appearance,  and  without  further  words  led  the 
way  over  the  acclivity  to  the  adjacent  bottom. 


CHAPTER  II 

"  Up  with  my  tent;  here  will  I  lie  to-night, 
But  where,  to-morrow  ?    Well,  all's  one  for  that." 

—RICHARD  THE  THIRD. 

THE  travelers  soon  discovered  the  usual  and  unerring 
evidences  that  the  several  articles  necessary  to  their  situ 
ation  were  not  far  distant.  A  clear  and  gurgling  spring 
burst  out  of  the  side  of  the  declivity,  and  joining  its 
waters  to  those  of  other  similar  little  fountains  in  its 
vicinity,  their  united  contributions  formed  a  run,  which 
was  easily  to  be  traced  for  miles  along  the  prairie,  by  the 
scattering  foliage  and  verdure  which  occasionally  grew 
within  the  influence  of  its  moisture.  Hither,  then,  the 
stranger  held  his  way,  eagerly  followed  by  the  willing 
teams,  whose  instinct  gave  them  a  prescience  of  refresh 
ment  and  rest. 

On  reaching  what  he  deemed  a  suitable  spot,  the  old 
man  halted,  and,  with  an  inquiring  look,  he  seemed  to 
demand  if  it  possessed  the  needed  conveniences.  The 
leader  of  the  emigrants  cast  his  eyes  anderstandingly  about 
him,  and  examined  the  place  with  the  keenness  of  one  com 
petent  to  judge  of  so  nice  a  question,  though  in  that  dil 
atory  and  heavy  manner,  which  rarely  permitted  him  to 
betray  precipitation. 

"Ay,  this  may  do,"  he  said,  when  satisfied  with  his 
scrutiny;  "boys,  you  have  seen  the  last  of  the  sun;  be 
stirring." 

The  young  men  manifested  a  characteristic  obedience. 
The  order,  for  such  in  tone  and  manner  it  was,  in  truth, 
was  received  with  respect;  but  the  utmost  movement  was 
the  falling  of  an  axe  or  two  from  the  shoulder  to  the 
ground,  while  their  owners  continued  to  regard  the  place 
with  listless  and  incurious  eyes.  In  the  mean  time,  the 
elder  traveler,  as  if  familiar  with  the  nature  of  the  im 
pulses  by  which  his  children  were  governed,  disencum- 

12 


THE   PRAIRIE  13 

bered  himself  of  his  pack  and  rifle,  and,  assisted  by  the 
man  already  mentioned  as  disposed  to  appeal  so  promptly 
to  the  rifle,  he  quietly  proceeded  to  release  the  cattle  from 
the  gears. 

At  length  the  eldest  of  the  sons  stepped  heavily  for 
ward,  and,  without  any  apparent  effort,  he  buried  his  axe 
to  the  eye  in  the  soft  body  of  a  cotton-wood  tree.  He 
stood  a  moment  regarding  the  effect  of  the  blow,  with 
that  sort  of  contempt  with  which  a  giant  might  be  sup 
posed  to  contemplate  the  puny  resistance  of  a  dwarf,  and 
then  flourishing  the  implement  above  his  head,  with  the 
grace  and  dexterity  with  which  a  master  of  the  art  of 
offense  would  wield  his  nobler  though  Jess  useful  weapon, 
he  quickly  severed  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  bringing  its  tall 
top  crashing  to  the  earth  in  submission  to  his  prowess. 
His  companions  regarded  the  operation  with  indolent 
curiosity,  until  they  saw  the  prostrate  trunk  stretched  on 
the  ground,  when,  as  if  a  signal  for  a  general  attack  had 
been  given,  they  advanced  in  a  body  to  the  work;  and  in 
a  space  of  time,  and  with  a  neatness  of  execution,  that 
would  have  astonished  an  ignorant  spectator,  they  stripped 
a  small  but  suitable  spot  of  its  burden  of  forest,  as  effect 
ually,  and  almost  as  promptly,  as  if  a  whirlwind  had 
passed  along  the  place. 

The  stranger  had  been  a  silent  but  attentive  observer  of 
their  progress.  As  tree  after  tree  came  whistling  down, 
he  cast  his  eyes  upwards  at  the  vacancies  they  left  in  the 
heavens,  with  a  melancholy  gaze,  and  finally  turned  away, 
muttering  to  himself,  with  a  bitter  smile,  like  one  who 
disdained  giving  a  more  audible  utterance  to  his  discon 
tent.  Pressing  through  the  group  of  active  and  busy  chil 
dren  who  had  already  lighted  a  cheerful  fire,  the  attention 
of  the  old  man  became  next  fixed  on  the  movements  of 
the  leader  of  the  emigrants  and  of  his  savage- look  ing 

These  two  had  already  liberated  the  cattle,  which  were 
eagerly  browsing  the  grateful  and  nutritious  extremiti 
of  the  fallen  trees,  and  were  now  employed  about 
wagon,  which  has  been  described  as  having  its  content* 
concealed  with  so  much  apparent  care.     Notwithstan< 
this  particular  conveyance  appeared  to  be  as  silent  and  as 


14  THE   PRAIRIE 

tenantless  as  the  rest  of  the  vehicles,  the  men  applied  their 
strength  to  its  wheels  and  rolled  it  apart  from  the  others, 
and  to  a  dry  and  elevated  spot  near  the  edge  of  the  thicket. 
Here  they  brought  certain  poles,  which  had  seemingly 
been  long  employed  in  such  a  service,  and  fastening  their 
larger  ends  firmly  in  the  ground,  the  smaller  were  attached 
to  the  hoops  that  supported  the  covering  of  the  wagon. 
Large  folds  of  cloth  were  next  drawn  out  of  the  vehicle,  and 
after  being  spread  around  the  whole,  were  pegged  to  the 
earth  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  a  tolerably  capacious 
and  an  exceedingly  convenient  tent.  After  surveying  their 
work  with  inquisitive  and  perhaps  jealous  eyes,  arranging 
a  fold  here,  and  driving  a  peg  more  firmly  there,  the  men 
once  more  applied  their  strength  to  the  wagon,  pulling  it 
by  its  projecting  tongue  from  the  center  of  the  canopy 
until  it  appeared  in  the  open  air  deprived  of  its  covering, 
and  destitute  of  any  other  freight  than  a  few  light  articles 
of  furniture.  The  latter  were  immediately  removed  by 
the  traveler  into  the  tent  with  his  own  hands,  as  though 
to  enter  it  were  a  privilege  to  which  even  his  bosom  com 
panion  was  not  entitled. 

Curiosity  is  a  passion  that  is  rather  quickened  than  de 
stroyed  by  seclusion,  and  the  old  inhabitant  of  the  prairies 
did  not  view  these  precautionary  and  mysterious  move 
ments  without  experiencing  some  of  its  impulses.  He  ap 
proached  the  tent,  and  was  about  to  sever  two  of  its  folds, 
with  the  very  obvious  intention  of  examining  more  closely 
into  the  nature  of  its  contents,  when  the  man  who  had 
once  already  placed  his  life  in  jeopardy,  seized  him  by  the 
arm,  and  with  a  rude  exercise  of  his  strength  threw  him 
from  the  spot  he  had  selected  as  the  one  most  convenient 
for  his  object. 

"It's  an  honest  regulation,  friend,"  the  fellow  dryly 
observed,  though  with  an  eye  that  threatened  volumes, 
"and  sometimes  it  is  a  safe  one,  which  says,  'mind  your 
own  business.' 

"Men  seldom  bring  anything  to  be  concealed  into  these 
deserts,"  returned  the  old  man,  as  if  willing,  and  yet  a 
little  ignorant  how  to  apologize  for  the  liberty  he  had 
been  about  to  take,  "and  I  had  hoped  no  offense  in  exam 
ining  your  comforts. ' ' 


THE   PRAIRIE  15 

''They  seldom  bring:  themselves,  I  reckon;  though  this 
has  the  look  of  an  old  country,  to  my  eye  it  seems  not  to 
be  overly  peopled." 

"The  land  is  as  aged  as  the  rest  of  the  works  of  the 
Lord,  I  believe;  but  you  say  true  concerning  its  inhabi 
tants.  Many  months  have  passed  since  I  have  laid  eyes  on 
a  face  of  my  own  color  before  your  own.  I  say  again 
friend,  I  meant  no  harm;  I  did  not  know  but  there  was 
something  behind  the  cloth  that  might  bring  former  days 
to  my  mind." 

As  the  stranger  ended  his  simple  explanation  he  walked 
meekly  away,  like  one  who  felt  the  deepest  sense  of  the 
right  which  every  man  has  to  the  quiet  enjoyment  of  his 
own,  without  any  troublesome  interference  on  the  part  of 
his  neighbor;  a  wholesome  and  a  just  principle  that  he 
had  also  most  probably  imbibed  from  the  habits  of  his 
secluded  life.  As  he  passed  towards  the  little  encampment 
of  the  emigrants,  for  such  the  place  had  now  become,  he 
heard  the  voice  of  the  leader  calling  aloud,  in  its  hoarse 
tones,  the  name  of: 
"Ellen  Wade!" 

The  girl  who  has  been  already  introduced  to  the  reader, 
and  who  was  occupied  with  the  others  of  her  sex  around 
the  fires,  sprang  willingly  forward  at  this  summons;  and, 
passing  the  stranger  with  the  activity  of  a  young  antelope, 
she  was  instantly  lost  behind  the  forbidden  folds  of  the 
tent.  Neither  her  sudden  disappearance,  nor  any  of  the 
arrangements  we  have  mentioned,  seemed,  however,  to 
excite  the  smallest  surprise  among  the  remainder  of  the 
party.  The  young  men,  who  had  already  completed  their 
tasks  with  the  axe,  were  all  engaged  after  their  lounging 
and  listless  manner;  some  in  bestowing  equitable  portions 
of  the  fodder  among  the  different  animals;  others  in  ply 
ing  the  heavy  pestle  of  a  movable  hominy-mortar;1  and 
one  or  two  in  wheeling  the  remainder  of  the  wagons  aside, 
and  arranging  them  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  a  sort  of 
outwork  for  their  otherwise  defenseless  bivouac. 

These  several  duties  were  soon  performed,  and  as  dark 
ness  now  began  to  conceal  the  objects  on  the  surrounding 

1  Hominy  is  a  dish  composed  chiefly  of  cracked  corn  or  maize. 


16  THE   PRAIRIE 

prairie,  the  shrill-toned  termagant,  whose  voice  since  the 
halt  had  been  diligently  exercised  among  her  idle  and 
drowsy  offspring,  announced,  in  tones  that  might  have 
been  heard  at  a  dangerous  distance,  that  the  evening  meal 
waited  only  for  the  approach  of  those  wrho  were  to  con 
sume  it.  Whatever  may  be  the  other  qualities  of  a  bor- 
derman,  he  is  seldom  deficient  in  the  virtue  of  hospitality. 
The  emigrant  no  sooner  heard  the  sharp  call  of  his  wife, 
than  he  cast  his  eyes  about  him  in  quest  of  the  stranger, 
in  order  to  offer  him  the  place  of  distinction  in  the  rude 
entertainment  to  which  they  were  so  unceremoniously 
summoned. 

"I  thank  you,  friend, ' '  the  old  man  replied  to  the  rough 
invitation  to  take  a  seat  nigh  the  smoking  kettle;  "you 
have  my  hearty  thanks;  but  I  have  eaten  for  the  day,  and 
am  not  one  of  them  who  dig  their  graves  with  their  teeth. 
Well;  as  you  wish  it,  I  will  take  a  place,  for  it  is  long 
sin'  I  have  seen  people  of  my  color  eating  their  daily 
bread." 

"You  ar'  an  old  settler  in  these  districts,  then?"  the 
emigrant  rather  remarked  than  inquired,  with  a  mouth 
filled  nearly  to  overflowing  with  the  delicious  hominy, 
prepared  by  his  skillful,  though  repulsive,  spouse.  "They 
told  us,  below,  we  should  find  settlers  something  thinnish 
hereaway,  and  I  must  say  the  report  was  mainly  true; 
for,  unless  we  count  the  Canada  traders  on  the  Big  River, 
you  ar'  the  first  white  face  I  have  met  in  a  good  five  hun 
dred  miles;  that  is  calculating  according  to  your  own 
reckoning." 

"Though  I  have  spent  some  years  in  this  quarter,  I  can 
hardly  be  called  a  settler,  seeing  that  I  have  no  regular 
abode,  and  seldom  pass  more  than  a  month  at  a  time  on 
the  same  range. ' ' 

"A  hunter,  I  reckon?"  the  other  continued,  glancing 
his  eyes  aside,  as  if  to  examine  the  equipments  of  his  new 
acquaintance;  "your  fixen  seem  none  of  the  best  for  such 
a  calling." 

"They  are  old,  and  nearly  ready  to  be  laid  aside,  like 
their  master,"  said  the  old  man,  regarding  his  rifle  with 
a  look  in  which  affection  and  regret  were  singularly 
blended;  "and  I  may  say  they  are  but  little  needed,  too. 


THE  PRAIRIE  17 

You  are  mistaken,  friend,  in  calling  me  a  hunter;  I  am 
nothing  better  than  a  trapper."1 

"If  you  ar'  much  of  the  one,  I'm  bold  to  say  you  ar' 
something  of  the  other;  for  the  two  callings  go  mainly 
together  in  these  districts." 

"To  the  shame  of  the  man  who  is  able  to  follow  the 
first  be  it  so  said!"  returned  the  trapper,  whom  in  future 
we  shall  choose  to  designate  by  his  pursuit;  "for  more 
than  fifty  years  did  I  carry  my  rifle  in  the  wilderness, 
without  so  much  as  setting  a  snare  for  even  a  bird  that 
flies  the  heavens;  much  less  a  beast  that  has  nothing  but 
legs  for  its  gifts." 

"I  see  but  little  difference  whether    a  man  gets 
peltry  by  the  rifle  or  by  the  trap,  '  '  said  the  ill-looking  com 
panion  of  the  emigrant,  in  his  rough  manner. 
was  made  for  our  comfort;  and,  for  that  matter,  s. 

'  <CYou  seem  to  have  but  little  plunder,2  stranger,  for  one 
who  is  far  abroad,"  bluntly  interrupted  the  emigrant,  a 
if  he  had  a  reason  for  wishing  to  change  the  conversatu 
"I  hooe  vou  ar'  better  off  for  skins." 

"I  make  but  little  use  of  either,"  the  trapper  quietly 
replied      "At  my  time  of  life,  food  and  clothing  be  i 
thatt  needed;  and  I  have  little  occasion  fo,  -wh*  ^  .call 
plunder,  unless  it  may  be  now  and  then  to  b 


parts  by  natur',  friend," 
having  in  his  mind  the  exception 


SA1T'^S?%S5S5ftS  in  regions  more  cml* 


18  THE   PRAIRIE 

to  turn  their  eyes  on  some  unexpected  object  of  general 
interest.  One  or  two  of  the  young  men  repeated  the  words 
''sea-shore;"  and  the  woman  tendered  him  one  of  those 
civilities  with  which,  uncouth  as  they  were,  she  was  little 
accustomed  to  grace  her  hospitality,  as  if  in  deference  to 
the  traveled  dignity  of  her  guest.  After  a  long,  and  seem 
ingly  a  meditating  silence,  the  emigrant,  who  had,  how 
ever,  seen  no  apparent  necessity  to  suspend  functions  of 
his  masticating  powers,  resumed  the  discourse. 

"It  is  a  long  road,  as  I  have  heard,  from  the  waters  of 
the  west  to  the  shores  of  the  main  sea?" 

"It  is  a  weary  path,  indeed,  friend;  and  much  have  I 
seen,  and  something  have  I  suffered  in  journeying  over 
it." 

"A  man  would  see  a  good  deal  of  hard  travel  in  going 
its  length!" 

"Seventy  and  five  years  have  I  been  upon  the  road;  and 
there  are  not  half  that  number  of  leagues  in  the  whole 
distance,  after  you  leave  the  Hudson,  on  which  I  have  not 
tasted  venison  of  my  own  killing.  But  this  is  vain  boast 
ing.  Of  what  use  are  former  deeds,  when  time  draws  to 
an  end?" 

"I  once  met  a  man  that  had  boated  on  the  river  he 
names,"  observed  the  eldest  son,  speaking  in  a  low  tone 
of  voice,  like  one  who  distrusted  his  knowledge,  and 
deemed  it  prudent  to  assume  a  becoming  diffidence  in  the 
presence  of  a  man  who  had  seen  so  much;  "from  his  tell, 
it  must  be  a  considerable  stream,  and  deep  enough  for  a 
keel-boat  from  top  to  bottom." 

"It  is  a  wide  and  deep  water-course,  and  many  sightly 
towns  are  there  growing  on  its  banks,"  returned  the 
trapper;  "and  yet  it  is  but  a  brook  to  the  waters  of  the 
endless  river!" 

"I  call  nothing  a  stream  that  a  man  can  travel  round," 
exclaimed  the  ill-looking  associate  of  the  emigrant;  "a 
real  river  must  be  crossed;  not  headed,  like  a  bear  in  a 
county  hunt."1 

1  There  is  a  practice  in  the  new  countries,  to  assemble  the  men  of  a  large  dis 
trict,  sometimes  of  an  entire  county,  to  exterminate  the  beasts  of  prey.  They 
form  themselves  into  a  circle  several  miles  in  extent,  and  gradually  draw  nearer, 
killing  all  before  them.  The  allusion  is  to  this  custom,  in  which  the  hunted  beast 
is  turned  from  one  to  another. 


THE   PRAIRIE  19 

"Have  you  been  far  towards  the  sundown,  friend?"  in 
terrupted  the  emigrant,  as  if  he  desired  to  keep  his  rough 
companion  as  much  as  possible  out  of  the  discourse.  "I 
find  it  is  a  wide  tract  of  clearing  this,  into  which  I  have 
fallen." 

"You  may  travel  weeks,  and  you  will  see  it  the  same. 
I  often  think  the  Lord  has  placed  this  barren  belt  of 
prairie  behind  the  States  to  warn  men  to  what  their  folly 
may  yet  bring  the  land!  Ay,  weeks,  if  not  months,  may 
you  journey  in  these  open  fields,  in  which  there  is  neither 
dwelling  nor  habitation  for  man  nor  beast.  Even  the  sav 
age  animals  travel  miles  on  miles  to  seek  their  dens;  and 
yet  the  wind  seldom  blows  from  the  east,  but  I  conceit 
the  sound  of  axes,  and  the  crash  of  falling  trees,  are  in 
my  ears." 

As  the  old  man  spoke  with  a  seriousness  and  dignity 
that  age  seldom  fails  to  communciate  even  to  less  striking 
sentiments,  his  auditors  were  deeply  attentive,  and  as  si 
lent  as  the  grave.  Indeed,  the  trapper  was  left  to  renew 
the  dialogue  himself,  which  he  soon  did  by  asking  a  ques 
tion,  in  the  indirect  manner  so  much  in  use  by  the  border 
inhabitants. 

"You  found  it  no  easy  matter  to  ford  the  water-courses, 
and  to  make  your  way  so  deep  into  the  prairies  friend, 
with  teams  of  horses  and  herds  of  horned  beasts? 

"I  kept  the  left  bank  of  the  main  river,"  the  emigrant 
replied,  "until  I  found  the  stream  leading  too  much 
the  north,  when  we  rafted  ourselves  across  without  i 
great  suffering.  The  woman  lost  a  fleece  or  two  from  tl 
next  year's  shearing,  and  the  girls  have  one  cow  h 
their  dairy.  Since  then,  we  have  done  bravely,  by  t 
ing  a  creek  every  day  or  two." 

"It  is  likely  you  will  continue  west  until  you  come  i 
land  more  suitable  for  a  settlement?' 

"Until  I  see  reason  to  stop,  or  to  turn  ag  in 
igrant  bluntly  answered,  rising  at  the  same  time,  and 

o  to  preseneeePof  their  guest,  the  travelers 
make  their  dispositions  to  pass  the  night. 


20  THE   PRAIRIE 

bowers,  or  rather  huts,  had  already  been  formed  of  the 
tops  of  trees,  blankets  of  coarse  country  manufacture,  and 
the  skins  of  buffaloes,  united  without  much  reference  to 
any  other  object  than  temporary  comfort.  Into  these  covers 
the  children,  with  their  mother,  soon  drew  themselves, 
where,  it  is  more  than  possible,  they  were  all  speedily  lost 
in  the  oblivion  of  sleep.  Before  the  men,  however,  could 
seek  their  rest,  they  had  sundry  little  duties  to  perform; 
such  as  completing  their  works  of  defense,  carefully  con 
cealing  the  fires,  replenishing  the  fodder  of  their  cattle, 
and  setting  the  watch  that  was  to  protect  the  party  in  the 
approaching  hours  of  night. 

The  former  was  effected  by  dragging  the  trunks  of  a 
few  trees  into  the  intervals  left  by  the  wagons,  and  along 
the  open  space  between  the  vehicles  and  the  thicket,  on 
which,  in  military  language,  the  encampment  would  be 
said  to  have  rested;  thus  forming  a  sort  of  chevaux-de- 
frise  on  three  sides  of  the  position.  Within  these  narrow 
limits  (with  the  exception  of  what  the  tent  contained), 
both  man  and  beast  were  now  collected;  the  latter  being 
far  too  happy  in  resting  their  weary  limbs  to  give  any 
undue  annoyance  to  their  scarcely  more  intelligent  asso 
ciates.  Two  of  the  young  men  took  their  rifles;  and,  first 
renewing  the  priming,  and  examining  the  flints  with  the 
utmost  care,  they  proceeded,  the  one  to  the  extreme  right, 
and  the  other  to  the  left  of  the  encampment,  where  they 
posted  themselves  within  the  shadows  of  the  thicket;  but 
in  such  positions  as  enabled  each  to  overlook  a  portion  of 
the  prairie. 

The  trapper  loitered  about  the  place,  declining  to  share 
the  straw  of  the  emigrant,  until  the  whole  arrangement 
was  completed;  and  then,  without  the  ceremony  of  an 
adieu,  he  slowly  retired  from  the  spot. 

It  was  now  in  the  first  watch  of  the  night;  and  the  pale, 
quivering,  and  deceptive  light  from  a  new  moon,  was 
playing  over  the  endless  waves  of  the  prairie,  tipping  the 
swells  with  gleams  of  brightness,  and  leaving  the  interval 
land  in  deep  shadow.  Accustomed  to  scenes  of  solitude 
like  the  present,  the  old  man,  as  he  left  the  encampment, 
proceeded  alone  into  the  waste,  like  a  bold  vessel  leaving 
its  haven  to  enter  on  the  trackless  field  of  the  o^ean.  He 


THE   PRAIRIE  21 

appeared  to  move  for  some  time  without  object,  or,  in 
deed,  without  any  apparent  consciousness  whither  his  limbs 
were  carrying  him.  At  length,  on  reaching  the  rise  of 
one  of  the  undulations,  he  came  to  a  stand;  and,  for  the 
first  time  since  leaving  the  band  who  had  caused  such  a 
flood  of  reflections  and  recollections  to  crowd  upon  his 
mind,  the  old  man  became  aware  of  his  present  situation. 
Throwing  one  end  of  his  rifle  to  the  earth,  he  stood  lean 
ing  on  the  other,  again  lost  in  deep  contemplation  for 
several  minutes,  during  which  time  his  hound  came  and 
crouched  at  his  feet.  A  deep,  menacing  growl,  from  the 
faithful  animal,  first  aroused  him  from  his  musing. 

"What  now,  dog?"  he  said,  looking  down  at  his  com 
panion,  as  if  he  addressed  a  being  of  intelligence  equal  to 
his  own,  and  speaking  in  a  voice  of  great  affection. 
"What  is  it,  pup?  Ha!  Hector;  what  is  it  nosing  now? 
It  won't  do,  dog;  it  won't  do;  the  very  fa'ans  play  in 
open  view  of  us,  without  minding  so  worn  out  curs  as  you 
and  I.  Instinct  is  their  gift,  Hector;  and  they  have  found 
out  how  little  we  are  to  be  feared,  they  have!" 

The  dog  stretched  his  head  upwards,  and  responded  to 
the  words  of  his  master  by  a  long  and  plaintive  whine, 
which  he  even  continued  after  he  had  again  buried  his 
head  in  the  grass,  as  if  he  held  an  intelligent  communica 
tion  with  one  who  so  well  knew  how  to  interpret  dumb 
discourse. 

"This  is  a  manifest  warning,  Hector!"  thetrappe 
tinued,  dropping  his  voice  to  the  tones  of  caution,  and 
looking  warily   about  him.     "What  is  it,   pup;    speak 
plainer,  dog;  what  is  it?" 

The  hound  had,  however,  already  laid  his  nos« 
earth,  and  was  silent;  appearing  to  slumber, 
keen    quick  glances  of  his  master  soon  caught  a  gli 
of  a  distant  figure,  which  seemed,  through  the  deceptn 
light,  floating  along  the  very  elevation  on  which  he 
placed  himself.     Presently  its  proportions  became 
distinct,  and  then  an  airy  female  form  appeared  1 
tate,  as  if  considering  whether  it  would  be  prudent  t 
vance.     Though  the  eyes  of  the  dog  were  now  to >  be  se 
glancing  in  the  rays  of  the  moon,  opening  and  shutting 
lazily,  he  gave  no  further  signs  of  displeasure. 


22  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Come  nigher;  we  are  friends,"  said  the  trapper,  asso 
ciating  himself  with  his  companion  by  long  use,  and  prob 
ably  through  the  strength  of  the  secret  tie  that  connected 
them  together;  "we  are  your  friends;  none  will  harm 
you." 

Encouraged  by  the  mild  tones  of  his  voice,  and  perhaps 
led  on  by  the  earnestness  of  her  purpose,  the  female  ap 
proached  until  she  stood  at  his  side;  when  the  old  man 
perceived  his  visitor  to  be  the  young  woman  with  whom 
the  reader  has  already  become  acquainted  by  the  name  of 
"Ellen  Wade." 

"I  had  thought  you  were  gone,"  she  said,  looking  tim 
idly  and  anxiously  around.  "They  said  you  were  gone; 
and  that  we  should  never  see  you  again.  I  did  not  think  it 
was  you!" 

"Men  are  no  common  objects  in  these  empty  fields," 
returned  the  trapper,  "and  I  humbly  hope,  though  I  have 
so  long  consorted  with  the  beasts  of  the  wilderness,  that  I 
have  not  yet  lost  the  look  of  my  kind." 

"Oh!  I  knew  you  to  be  a  man,  and  I  thought  I  knew  the 
whine  of  the  hound  too,"  she  answered  hastily,  as  if  will 
ing  to  explain  she  knew  not  what,  and  then  checking  her 
self,  like  one  fearful  of  having  already  said  too  much. 

"I  saw  no  dogs  among  the  teams  of  your  father,"  the 
trapper  remarked. 

"Father!"  exclaimed  the  girl  feelingly,  "I  have  no 
father!  1  had  nearly  said  no  friend." 

The  old  man  turned  towards  her  with  a  look  of  kindness 
and  interest  that  was  even  more  conciliating  than  the 
ordinary  upright  and  benevolent  expression  of  his  weather- 
beaten  countenance. 

"Why  then  do  you  venture  in  a  place  where  none  but 
the  strong  should  come?"  he  demanded.  "Did  you  not 
know  that  when  you  crossed  the  Big  River  you  left  a 
friend  behind  you  that  is  always  bound  to  look  to  the 
young  and  feeble  like  yourself?" 

"Of  whom  do  you  speak?" 

"The  law!  'Tis  bad  to  have  it,  but  I  sometimes  think 
it  is  worse  to  be  entirely  without  it.  Age  and  weakness 
have  brought  me  to  feel  such  weakness  at  times.  Yes,  yes, 
the  law  is  needed  when  such  as  have  not  the  gifts  of 


THE   PRAIRIE  23 

strength  and  wisdom  are  to  be  taken  care  of      I  hone 
young  woman,  if  you  have  no  father,  you  have  at  least  a 
brother. ' ' 

The  maiden  felt  the  tacit  reproach  conveyed  in  this 
covert  question,  and  for  a  moment  she  remained  in  an 
embarrassed  silence.  But,  catching  a  glimpse  of  the  mild 
and  serious  features  of  her  companion,  as  he  continued  to 
gaze  on  her  with  a  look  of  interest,  she  replied  firmly,  and 
in  a  manner  that  left  no  doubt  she  comprehended  his 
meaning: 

"Heaven  forbid  that  any  such  as  you  have  seen  snould 
be  a  brother  of  mine,  or  anything  else  near  or  dear  to  me! 
But  tell  me,  do  you  then  actually  live  alone  in  this  desert 
district,  old  man;  is  there  really  none  here  besides  your 
self?" 

"There  are  hundreds,  nay,  thousands  of  the  rightful 
owners  of  the  country,  roving  about  the  plains,  but  few 
of  our  own  color. ' ' 

"And  have  you  then  met  none  who  are  white  but  us?" 
interrupted  the  girl,  like  one  too  impatient  to  await  the 
tardy  explanations  of  age  and  deliberation. 

"Not  in  many  days.  Hush,  Hector,  hush!"  he  added,  in 
reply  to  a  low  and  nearly  inaudible  growl  from  his  hound. 
"The  dog  scents  mischief  in  the  wind!  The  black  bears 
from  the  mountains  sometimes  make  their  way  even  lower 
than  this.  The  pup  is  not  apt  to  complain  of  the  harmless 
game.  I  am  not  so  ready  and  true  with  the  piece  as  I 
used-to-could-be,  yet  I  have  struck  even  the  fiercest  ani 
mals  of  the  prairie  in  my  time;  so  you  have  little  reason 
for  fear,  young  woman. '  '- 

The  girl  raised  her  eyes  in  that  pecuilar  manner  which 
is  so  of  ten  practised  by  her  sex  when  they  commence  their 
glances,  by  examining  the  earth  at  their  feet,  and  termi 
nate  them  by  noting  everything  within  the  power  of 
human  vision;  but  she  rather  manifested  the  quality  of 
impatience  than  any  feeling  of  alarm. 

A  short  bark  from  the  dog,  however,  soon  gave  a  new 
direction  to  the  looks  of  both,  and  then  the  real  object  of 
his  second  warning  became  dimly  visible. 


CHAPTER  III 

"  Come,  come,  thou  art  as  hot  as  a  Jack  in  thy  mood,  as  any  in  Italy;  and  as 
soon  moved  to  be  moody,  and  as  soon  moody  to  be  moved." 

—ROMEO  AND  JULIET. 

THOUGH  the  trapper  manifested  some  surprise  when  he 
perceived  that  another  human  figure  was  approaching 
him,  and  that,  too,  from  a  direction  opposite  to  the  place 
where  the  emigrant  had  made  his  encampment,  it  was 
with  the  steadiness  of  one  long  accustomed  to  scenes  of 
danger. 

"This  is  a  man,"  he  said;  "and  one  who  has  white 
blood  in  his  veins,  or  his  step  would  be  lighter.  It  would 
be  well  to  be  ready  for  the  worst,  as  the  half-and-halfs1 
that  one  meets  in  these  distant  districts  are  altogether 
more  barbarous  than  the  real  savage." 

He  raised  his  rifle  while  he  spoke,  and  assured  himself 
of  the  state  of  its  flint,  as  well  as  of  the  priming,  by 
manual  examination.  But  his  arm  was  arrested  while  in 
the  act  of  throwing  forward  the  muzzle  of  the  piece,  by 
the  eager  and  trembling  hands  of  his  companion. 

"For  God's  sake  be  not  too  hasty,"  she  said;  "it  may 
be  a  friend — an  acquaintance — a  neighbor." 

"A  friend!"  the  old  man  repeated,  deliberately  releas 
ing  himself  at  the  same  time  from  her  grasp.  "Friends 
are  rare  in  any  land,  and  less  in  this,  perhaps,  than  in 
another;  and  the  neighborhood  is  too  thinly  settled  to 
make  it  likely  that  he  who  comes  towards  us  is  even  an 
acquaintance. ' ' 

"But  though  a  stranger,  you  would  not  seek  his  blood !" 

The  trapper  earnestly  regarded  her  anxious  and  fright 
ened  features,  and  then  he  dropped  the  butt  of  his  rifle  on 
the  ground,  like  one  whose  purpose  had  undergone  a  sud 
den  change. 

1  Half-breeds;  men  born  of  Indian  women  by  white  fathers.  This  race  has 
much  of  the  depravity  of  civilization  without  the  virtues  of  the  savage. 

24 


THE   PRAIRIE  25 

"No,"  he  said,  speaking  rather  to  himself  than  to  his 
companion,  "she  is  right;  blood  is  not  to  be  spilt,  to  save 
the  life  of  one  so  useless,  and  so  near  his  time.  Let  him 
come  on;  my  skins,  my  traps,  and  even  my  rifle  shall  be 
his,  if  he  sees  fit  to  demand  them." 

"He  will  ask  for  neither;  he  wants  neither,"  returned 
the  girl;  "if  he  be  an  honest  man,  he  will  surely  be  con 
tent  with  his  own,  and  ask  for  nothing  that  is  the  property 
of  another. ' ' 

The  trapper  had  not  time  to  express  the  surprise  he  felt 
at  this  incoherent  and  contradictory  language,  for  the 
man  who  was  advancing  was  already  within  fifty  feet  of 
the  place  where  they  stood.  In  the  mean  time  Hector  had 
not  been  an  indifferent  witness  of  what  was  passing.  At 
the  sound  of  the  distant  footsteps,  he  had  arisen  from  his 
warm  bed  at  the  feet  of  his  master;  and  now,  as  the 
stranger  appeared  in  open  view,  he' stalked  slowly  towards 
him,  crouching  to  the  earth  like  a  panther  about  to  take 
his  leap. 

"Call  in  your  dog,"  said  a  firm,  deep,  manly  voice,  in 
tones  of  friendship  rather  than  of  menace;  "I  love  a 
hound,  and  should  be  sorry  to  do  an  injury  to  the  animal. 

"You  hear  what  is  said  about  you,  pup?"  the  trapper 
answered;  "come  hither,  fool.  His  growl  and  his  bark  are 
all  that  is  left  him  now.  You  may  come  on,  friend;  the 
hound  is  toothless." 

The  stranger  profited  by  the  intelligence.  He  sprang 
eagerly  forward,  and  at  the  next  instant  stood  at  the  side 
of  Ellen  Wade.  After  assuring  himself  of  the  identity  of 
the  latter,  by  a  hasty  but  keen  glance,  he  turned  his 
tention,  with  a  quickness  and  impatience  that  proved  the 
interest  he  took  in  the  result,  to  a  similar  examination  o: 
her  companion.  „,, 

"From  what  cloud  have  you  fallen,  my  good  old  man. 
he  said,  in  a  careless,  off-hand,  heedless  manner,  that 
seemed  too  natural  to  be  assumed;  "or  do  you  act 
live,  hereaway,  in  the  prairies?" 

"I  have  been  long  on  earth,  and  never,  I  hope   nigh 
to  heaven  that  I  am  at  this  moment,"  returned  I 
ner-  "mv  dwelling,  if  dwelling  I  may  be  said  to  have,  is 
To  'far  distant.   gNow  may  I  take  the  liberty  with  you, 


26  THE   PRAIRIE 

that  you  are  so  willing  to  take  with  others?  Whence  do 
you  come,  and  where  is  your  home?" 

"Softly,  softly;  when  I  have  done  with  my  catechism, 
it  will  be  time  to  begin  with  yours.  What  sport  is  this 
you  follow  by  moonlight?  You  are  not  dodging  buffaloes 
at  such  an  hour ! ' ' 

"I  am,  as  you  see,  going  from  an  encampment  of  trav 
elers,  which  lies  over  yonder  swell  in  the  land,  to  my  own 
wigwam.  In  doing  so,  I  wrong  no  man." 

"All  fair  and  true.  And  you  got  this  young  woman  to 
show  you  the  way,  because  she  knows  it  so  well,  and  you 
know  so  little  about  it  yourself!" 

"I  met  her,  as  I  have  met  you,  by  accident.  For  ten 
tiresome  years  have  I  dwelt  on  these  open  fields,  and  never, 
before  to-night,  have  I  found  human  beings  with  white 
skins  on  them,  at  this  hour.  If  my  presence  here  gives 
offense,  I  am  sorry,  and  will  go  my  way.  It  is  more  than 
likely  that  when  your  young  friend  has  told  her  story,  you 
will  be  better  given  to  believe  mine." 

"Friend!"  said  the  youth,  lifting  a  cap  of  skins  from 
his  head,  and  running  his  fingers  leisurely  through  a  dense 
mass  of  black  and  shaggy  locks,  "if  I  have  ever  laid  eyes 
on  the  girl  before  to-night,  may  I — 

"You've  said  enough,  Paul,"  interrupted  the  female, 
laying  her  hand  on  his  mouth,  with  a  familiarity  that 
gave  something  very  like  the  lie  direct  to  his  intended  as- 
servation.  "Our  secret  will  be  safe  with  this  honest  old 
man.  I  know  it  by  his  looks  and  kind  words. ' ' 

"Our  secret!     Ellen,  have  you  forgot — 

"Nothing.  I  have  not  forgotten  anything  I  should  re 
member.  But  still  I  say  we  are  safe  with  this  honest 
trapper. ' ' 

"Trapper!  is  he  then  a  trapper?  Give  me  your  hand, 
father;  our  trades  should  bring  us  acquainted." 

"There  is  little  call  for  handicrafts  in  this  region," 
returned  the  other,  examining  the  athletic  and  active 
form  of  the  youth,  as  he  leaned  carelessly  and  not  ungrace 
fully  on  his  rifle;  "the  art  of  taking  the  creatur's  of  God 
in  traps  and  nets,  is  one  that  needs  more  cunning  than 
manhood,  and  yet  am  I  brought  to  practise  it  in  my 
age!  But  it  would  be  quite  as  seemly  in  one  like  you 


THE  PRAIRIE  27 

becoming>  vour  years  and 


"I!  I  never  took  even  a  slinking  mink  or  a  paddling 
muskrat  in  a  cage;  though  I  admit  having  peppered  a  few 
of  the  dark-skinned  devils,  when  I  had  much  better  have 
kept  my  powder  in  the  horn  and  the  lead  in  its  pouch 
Not  I,  old  man;  nothing  that  crawls  the  earth  is  for  mv 
sport." 

"What  then  may  you  do  for  a  living,  friend?—  for  lit 
tle  profit  is  to  be  made  in  these  districts,  if  a  man  denies 
himself  his  lawful  right  in  the  beasts  of  the  field." 

"I  deny  myself  nothing.  If  a  bear  crosses  my  path, 
he  is  soon  the  mere  ghost  of  Bruin.  The  deer  begin  to 
nose  me;  and  as  for  the  buffalo,  I  have  killed  more  beef, 
old  stranger,  than  the  largest  butcher  in  all  Kentucky." 

"You  can  shoot,  then!"  demanded  the  trapper,  with  a 
glow  of  latent  fire  glimmering  about  his  eyes;  "is  your 
hand  true  and  your  look  quick?" 

"The  first  is  like  a  steel  trap,  and  the  last  nimbler  than 
a  buck-shot.  I  wish  it  was  hot  noon  now,  grand  'ther; 
and  that  there  was  an  acre  or  two  of  your  white  swans  or 
of  black  feathered  ducks  going  south,  over  our  heads;  you 
or  Ellen  here  might  set  your  heart  on  the  finest  in  the 
flock,  and  my  character  against  a  horn  of  powder,  that  the 
bird  would  be  hanging  head  downwards  in  five  minutes, 
and  that  too  with  a  single  ball.  I  scorn  a  shot-gun!  No 
man  can  say  he  ever  knew  me  to  carry  one  a  rod." 

"The  lad  has  good  in  him!  I  see  it  plainly  by  his  man 
ner,"  said  the  trapper,  turning  to  Ellen  with  an  encour 
aging  air;  "I  will  take  it  on  myself  to  say,  that  you  are 
not  unwise  in  meeting  him  as  you  do.  Tell  me,  lad;  did 
you  ever  strike  a  leaping  buck  atwixt  the  antlers?  Hector! 
quiet,  pup  —  quiet!  The  very  name  of  venison  quickens 
the  blood  of  the  cur;  did  you  ever  take  an  animal  in  that 
fashion,  on  the  long  leap?" 

"You  might  just  as  well  ask  me,  'Did  you  ever  eat? 
There  is  no  fashion,  old  stranger,  that  a  deer  has  not  been 
touched  by  my  hand,  unless  it  was  when  asleep." 

"Ay,  ay;  you  have  a  long  and  a  happy—  ay,  and  an 
honest  life  afore  you!  I  am  old,  and  I  suppose  I  might 
also  say,  worn  out  and  useless;  but  if  it  was  given  me  i 


28  THE   PRAIRIE 

choose  my  time  and  place  again — as  such  things  are  not 
and  ought  not  ever  to  be  given  to  the  will  of  man — though 
if  such  a  gift  was  to  be  given  me,  I  would  say,  twenty  and 
the  wilderness!  But  tell  me;  how  do  you  part  with  the 
peltry?" 

"With  my  pelts!  I  never  took  a  skin  from  a  buck  nor 
a  quill  from  a  goose  in  my  life!  I  knock  them  over  now 
and  then  for  a  meal,  and  sometimes  to  keep  my  finger  true 
to  the  touch;  but  when  hunger  is  satisfied  the  prairie 
wolves  get  the  remainder.  No,  no;  I  keep  to  my  calling, 
which  pays  me  better  than  all  the  fur  I  could  sell  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Big  River." 

The  old  man  appeared  to  ponder  a  little;  but  shaking 
his  head,  he  soon  continued: 

"I  know  of  but  one  business  that  can  be  followed  here 
with  profit — 

He  was  interrupted  by  the  youth,  who  raised  a  small 
cup  of  tin  which  dangled  at  his  neck  before  the  other's 
eyes,  and,  springing  its  lid,  the  delicious  odor  of  the  finest 
flavored  honey  diffused  itself  over  the  organs  of  the 
trapper. 

"A  bee-hunter!"  observed  the  latter,  with  a  readiness 
that  proved  he  understood  the  nature  of  the  occupation, 
though  not  without  some  little  surprise  at  discovering  one 
of  the  other's  spirited  mien  engaged  in  so  humble  a  pur 
suit.  "It  pays  well  in  the  skirts  of  the  settlements,  but  I 
should  call  it  a  doubtful  trade  in  the  more  open  districts." 

"You  think  a  tree  is  wanting  for  a  swarm  to  settle  in! 
But  I  know  differently;  and  so  I  have  stretched  out  a  few 
hundred  miles  farther  west  than  common  to  taste  your 
honey.  And  now  I  have  'bated  your  curiosity,  stranger, 
you  will  just  move  aside  while  I  tell  the  remainder  of  my 
story  to  this  young  woman. ' ' 

"It  is  not  necessary,  I'm  sure  it  is  not  necessary,  that 
he  should  leave  us,"  said  Ellen,  with  a  haste  that  implied 
some  little  consciousness  of  the  singularity  if  not  of  the 
impropriety  of  the  request.  "You  can  have  nothing  to 
say  that  the  whole  world  might  not  hear. ' ' 

"No!  well,  may  I  be  stung  to  death  by  drones  if  I  un 
derstand  the  buzzings  of  a  woman's  mind!  For  my  part, 
Ellen,  I  care  for  nothing  nor  anybody;  and  am  just  as 


THE   PRAIRIE  29 

ready  to  go  down  to  the  place  where  your  uncle,  if  uncle 
you  can  call  one  who  I'll  swear  is  no  relation,  has  hoppled 
his  teams,  and  tell  the  old  man  my  mind  now,  as  I  shall 
be  a  year  hence.  You  have  only  to  say  a  single  word,  and 
the  thing  is  done;  let  him  like  it  or  not." 

"You  are  ever  so  hasty  and  rash,  Paul  Hover,  that  I 
seldom  know  when  I  am  safe  with  you.  How  can  you, 
who  know  the  danger  of  our  being  seen  together,  speak  of 
going  before  my  uncle  and  his  sons?" 

"Has  he  done  that  of  which  he  has  reason  to  be 
ashamed?"  demanded  the  trapper,  who  had  not  moved  an 
inch  from  the  place  he  first  occupied. 

"Heaven  forbid!  but  there  are  reasons  why  he  should 
not  be  seen  just  now,  that  could  do  him  no  harm  if  known, 
but  which  may  not  yet  be  told.  And  so  if  you  will  wait, 
father,  near  yonder  willow  bush,  until  I  have  heard  what 
Paul  can  possibly  have  to  say,  I  shall  be  sure  to  come  and 
wish  you  a  good-night  before  I  return  to  the  camp." 

The  trapper  drew  slowly  aside,  as  if  satisfied  with  the 
somewhat  incoherent  reason  Ellen  had  given  why  he  should 
retire.  When  completely  out  of  earshot  of  the  earnest 
and  hurried  dialogue  that  instantly  commenced  between 
the  two  he  had  left,  the  old  man  again  paused,  and  pa 
tiently  awaited  the  moment  when  he  might  renew  his 
conversation  with  beings  in  whom  he  felt  a  growing  inter 
est,  no  less  from  the  mysterious  character  of  their  inter 
course  than  from  a  natural  sympathy  in  the  welfare  of  a 
pair  so  young,  and  who,  as  in  the  simplicity  of  his  heart  he 
was  also  fain  to  believe,  were  also  so  deserving.  He  was 
accompanied  by  his  indolent  but  attached  dog,  who  once 
more  made  his  bed  at  the  feet  of  his  master,  and  soon  lay 
slumbering  as  usual,  with  his  head  nearly  buried  in  the 
dense  fog  of  the  prairie  grass. 

It  was  a  spectacle  so  unusual  to  see  the  human  form 
amid  the  solitude  in  which  he  dwelt,  that  the  trapper  bent 
his  eyes  on  the  dim  figures  of  his  new  acquaintances  wit. 
sensations  to  which  he  had  long  been  a  stranger, 
presence  awakened  recollections  and  emotions  to  wh 
his  sturdy  but  honest  nature  had  latterly  paid  but 
homage,    and  his  thoughts   began  to    wander   over 
varied  scene*  of  a  life  of  hardships  that  had  been  strangely 


30  THE   PRAIRIE 

blended  with  scenes  of  wild  and  peculiar  enjoyment.  The 
train  taken  by  his  thoughts  had  already  conducted  him  in 
imagination  far  into  an  ideal  world,  when  he  was  once 
more  suddenly  recalled  to  the  reality  of  his  situation  by 
the  movements  of  the  faithful  hound. 

The  dog,  who,  in  submission  to  his  years  and  infirmities, 
had  manifested  such  a  decided  propensity  to  sleep,  now 
arose  and  stalked  from  out  the  shadow  cast  by  the  tall 
person  of  his  master,  and  looked  abroad  into  the  prairie, 
as  if  his  instinct  apprised  him  of  the  presence  of  still  an 
other  visitor.  Then,  seemingly  content  with  his  examina 
tion,  he  returned  to  his  comfortable  post,  and  disposed 
of  his  weary  limbs  with  the  deliberation  and  care  of  one 
who  was  no  novice  in  the  art  of  self-preservation. 

"What;  again,  Hector!"  said  the  trapper  in  a  soothing' 
voice,  which  he  had  the  caution,  however,  to  utter  in  an 
undertone;  "what  is  it,  dog?  Tell  it  all  to  his  master, 
pup;  what  is  it?" 

Hector  answered  with  another  growl,  but  was  content 
to  continue  in  his  lair.  These  were  evidences  of  intelli 
gence  and  distrust,  to  which  one  as  practised  as  the  trapper 
could  not  turn  an  inattentive  ear.  He  again  spoke  to  the 
dog,  encouraging  him  to  watchfulness  by  a  low,  guarded 
whistle.  The  animal,  however,  as  if  conscious  of  having 
already  discharged  his  duty,  obstinately  refused  to  raise 
his  head  from  the  grass. 

"A  hint  from  such  a  friend  is  far  better  than  man's 
ad  vice!  "muttered  the  trapper,  as  he  slowly  moved  towards 
the  couple  who  were  yet  too  earnestly  and  abstractedly 
engaged  in  their  own  discourse  to  notice  his  approach; 
"and  none  but  a  conceited  settler  would  hear  it  and  not 
respect  it  as  he  ought.  Children,"  he  added,  when  nigh 
enough  to  address  his  companions,  "we  are  not  alone  in 
these  dreary  fields;  there  are  others  stirring,  and,  there 
fore,  to  the  shame  of  our  kind  be  it  said,  danger  is  nigh." 

"If  one  of  the  lazy  sons  of  skirting  Ishmael  is  prowling 
out  of  his  camp  to-night, ' '  said  the  young  bee-hunter,  with 
great  vivacity,  and  in  tones  that  might  easily  have  been 
excited  to  a  menace,  "he  may  have  an  end  put  to  his 
journey  sooner  than  either  he  or  his  father  is  dreaming!" 

"My  life  on  it  they  are  all  with  the  teams,"  hurriedly 


THE   PRAIRIE  31 

answered  the  girl.  "I  saw  the  whole  of  them  asleep  my- 
self,  except  the  two  on  watch;  and  their  natures  have 
greatly  changed  if  they  too  are  not  both  dreaming  of  a 
turkey  hunt  or  a  courthouse  fight  at  this  very  moment." 

^"Some  beast  with  a  strong  scent  has  passed  between  the 
wind  and  the  hound,  father,  and  it  makes  him  uneasy;  or 
perhaps  he  too  is  dreaming.  I  had  a  pup  of  my  own  in 
Kentuck,  that  would  start  upon  a  long  chase  from  a  deep 
sleep;  and  all  upon  the  fancy  of  some  dream.  Go  to  him 
and  pinch  his  ear,  that  the  beast  may  feel  the  life  within 
him." 

"Not  so — not  so,"  returned  the  trapper,  shaking  his 
head,  as  one  who  better  understood  the  qualities  of  his 
dog.  "Youth  sleeps,  ay,  and  dreams,  too;  but  age  is 
awake  and  watchful.  The  pup  is  never  false  with  his 
nose,  and  long  experience  tells  me  to  heed  his  warnings." 

"Did  you  ever  run  him  upon  the  trail  of  carrion?" 

"Why,  I  must  say  that  the  ravenous  beasts  have  some 
times  tempted  me  to  let  him  loose,  for  they  are  as  greedy 
as  men  after  the  venison,  in  its  season;  but  then  I  know 
the  reason  of  the  dog  would  tell  him  the  object!  No,  no; 
Hector  is  an  animal  known  in  the  ways  of  man,  and  will 
never  strike  a  false  trail  when  a  true  one  is  to  be  fol 
lowed!" 

"Ay,  ay,  the  secret  is  out!  You  have  run  the  hound 
on  the  track  of  a  wolf,  and  his  nose  has  a  better  memory 
than  his  master!"  said  the  bee-hunter,  laughing. 

"I  have  seen  the  creatur'  sleep  for  hours  with  pack  after 
pack  in  open  view.  A  wolf  might  eat  out  of  his  tray  with 
out  a  snarl,  unless  there  was  a  scarcity;  then,  indeed, 
Hector  would  be  apt  to  claim  his  own." 

"There  are  panthers  down  from  the  mountains;  I  saw 
one  make  a  leap  at  a  sick  deer,  as  the  sun  was  setting. 
Go— go  you  back  to  the  dog,  and  tell  him  the  truth, 
father;  in  a  minute,  I— 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  long,  loud,  and  piteou; 
from  the  hound,  which  rose  on  the  air  of  the  evening, 
like  the  wailing  of  some  spirit  of  the  place,  and  passed  c 
into  the  prairie,  in  cadences  that  rose  and  fell  i 
undulating  surface.  The  trapper  was  impressively  s 
listening  intently.  Even  the  reckless  bee-hunter  was  s 


32  THE   PRAIRIE 

with  the  wailing  wildness  of  the  sounds.  After  a  short 
pause  the  former  whistled  the  dog  to  his  side,  and,  turn 
ing  to  his  companions,  he  said  with  the  seriousness  which 
in  his  opinion  the  occasion  demanded: 

"They  who  think  man  enjoys  all  the  knowledge  of  the 
creatur's  of  God,  will  live  to  be  disappointed,  if  they 
reach,  as  I  have  done,  the  age  of  fourscore  years.  I  will 
not  take  upon  myself  to  say  what  mischief  is  brewing,  nor 
will  I  vouch  that  even  the  hound  himself  knows  so  much; 
but,  that  evil  is  nigh,  and  that  wisdom  invites  us  to  avoid 
it,  I  have  heard  from  the  mouth  of  one  who  never  lies.  I 
did  think  the  pup  had  become  unused  to  the  footsteps  of 
man,  and  that  your  presence  made  him  uneasy;  but  his 
nose  has  been  on  a  long  scent  the  whole  evening,  and  what 
I  mistook  as  a  notice  of  your  coming,  has  been  intended 
for  something  more  serious.  If  the  advice  of  an  old  man 
is,  then,  worth  hearkening  to,  children,  you  will  quickly 
go  different  ways  to  your  places  of  shelter  and  safety." 

"If  I  quit  Ellen  at  such  a  moment,"  exclaimed  the 
youth,  "may  I— 

"You've  said  enough!"  the  girl  interrupted,  by  again 
interposing  a  hand  that  might,  both  by  its  delicacy  and 
color,  have  graced  a  far  more  elevated  station  in  life;  "my 
time  is  out,  and  we  must  part  at  all  events.  So  good 
night,  Paul.  Father,  good-night." 

"Hist!"  said  the  youth,  seizing  her  arm,  as  she  was  in 
the  very  act  of  tripping  from  his  side.  "Hist!  do  you 
hear  nothing?  There  are  buffaloes  playing  their  pranks  at 
no  great  distance.  That  sound  beats  the  earth  like  a  herd 
of  the  mad  scampering  devils!" 

His  two  companions  listened,  as  people  in  their  situa 
tion  would  be  apt  to  lend  their  faculties  to  discover  the 
meaning  of  any  doubtful  noises,  especially  when  heard 
after  so  many  and  such  startling  warnings.  The  unusual 
sounds  were  unequivocally,  though  still  faintly,  audible. 
The  youth  and  his  female  companion  had  made  several 
hurried  and  vacillating  conjectures  concerning  their  nature 
when  a  current  of  the  night  air  brought  the  rush  of  tramp 
ling  footsteps  too  sensibly  to  their  ears,  to  render  mistake 
any  longer  possible. 

"I  am  right!"  said  the  bee-hunter;  "a  panther  is  driv- 


THE  PRAIRIE  33 

ing  a  herd  before  him;  or,  mabye,  there  is  a  battle  among 
the  beasts. 

"Your  ears  are  cheats,"  returned  the  old  man,  who 
from  the  moment  his  own  organs  had  been  able  to  catch 
the  distant  sounds,  stood  like  a  statue  made  to  represent 
deep  attention;  "the  leaps  are  too  long  for  the  buffalo 
and  too  regular  for  terror.     Hist!  now  they  are  in  a  bot 
tom  where  the  grass  is  high,  and  the  sound  is  deadened! 
Ay,  there  they  go  on  the  hard  earth!  and  now  they  come 
up  the  swell,  dead  upon  us.     They  will  be  here  afore  you 
can  find  a  cover ! ' ' 

"Come,  Ellen,"  cried  the  youth,  seizing  his  companion 
by  the  hand,  "let  us  make  a  trial  for  the  encampment." 
"Too  late!  too  late!"  exclaimed  the  trapper,  "for  the 
creatur's  are  in  open  view;  and  a  bloody  band  of  accursed 
Sioux  they  are,  by  their  thieving  look,  and  the  random 
fashion  in  which  they  ride!" 

"Sioux  or  devils,  they  shall  find  us  men!"  said  the 
bee-hunter,  with  a  mien  as  fierce  as  if  he  had  led  a  party 
of  superior  strength,  and  of  a  courage  equal  to  his  own. 
"You  have  a  piece,  old  man,  and  will  pull  a  trigger  in 
behalf  of  a  helpless  Christian  girl!" 

"Down,  down  into  the  grass — down  with  ye  both," 
whispered  the  trapper,  intimating  to  them  to  turn  aside 
to  the  tall  weeds,  which  grew  in  a  denser  body  than  com 
mon  near  the  place  where  they  stood.  "You've  not  the 
time  to  fly,  nor  the  numbers  to  fight,  foolish  boy.  Down 
into  the  grass,  if  you  prize  the  young  woman,  or  value 
the  gift  of  life!" 

His  remonstrance,  seconded  as  it  was  by  a  prompt  and 
energetic  action,  did  not  fail  to  produce  the  submission 
to  his  order  which  the  occasion  seemed,  indeed,  imperi 
ously  to  require.  The  moon  had  fallen  behind  a  sheet  of 
thin,  fleecy  clouds,  which  skirted  the  horizon,  leaving  just 
enough  of  its  faint  and  fluctuating  light  to  render  objects 
visible,  dimly  revealing  their  forms  and  proportions.  The 
trapper,  by  exercising  that  species  of  influence  over  his 
companions,  which  experience  and  decision  usually  assert 
in  cases  of  emergency,  had  effectually  succeeded  in  con 
cealing  them  in  the  grass;  and  by  the  aid  of  the  feeble 
rays  of  the  luminary,  he  was  enabled  to  scan  the  < 
3 


34  THE   PRAIRIE 

derly  party,  which  was  riding,  like  so  many  madmen, 
directly  upon  them. 

A  band  of  beings,  who  resembled  demons  rather  than 
men,  sporting  in  their  nightly  revels  across  the  bleak 
plain,  was  in  truth  approaching  at  a  fearful  rate,  and  in 
a  direction  to  leave  little  hope  that  some  one  among  them, 
at  least,  would  not  pass  over  the  spot  where  the  trapper 
and  his  companions  lay.  At  intervals,  the  clattering  of 
hoofs  was  borne  along  by  the  night  wind,  quite  audibly  in 
their  front,  and  then  again  their  progress  through  the  fog 
of  the  autumnal  grass  was  swift  and  silent;  adding  to  the 
unearthly  appearance  of  the  spectacle.  The  trapper,  who 
had  called  in  his  hound,  and  bidden  him  crouch  at  his 
side,  now  kneeled  in  the  cover  also,  and  kept  a  keen  and 
watchful  eye  on  the  route  of  the  band,  soothing  the  fears 
of  the  girl,  and  restraining  the  impatience  of  the  youth 
in  the  same  breath. 

"If  there's  one,  ther's  thirty  of  the  miscreants!"  he 
said,  in  a  sort  of  episode  to  his  whispered  comments. 
"Ay,  ay;  they  are  edging  towards  the  river.  Peace,  pup 
— peace;  no,  here  they  come  this  way  again — the  thieves 
don't  seem  to  know  their  own  errand!  If  there  were  just 
six  of  us,  lad,  what  a  beautiful  ambushment  we  might 
make  upon  them,  from  this  very  spot.  It  won't  do,  it 
Won't  do,  boy;  keep  yourself  closer,  or  your  head  will  be 
seen — besides,  I'm  not  altogether  strong  in  the  opinion  it 
would  be  lawful,  as  they  have  done  us  no  harm.  There 
they  bend  again  to  the  river;  no,  here  they  come  up  the 
swell.  Now  is  the  moment  to  be  as  still  as  if  the  breath 
had  done  its  duty  and 'departed  the  body." 

The  old  man  sank  into  the  grass  while  he  was  speaking, 
as  if  the  final  separation  to  which  he  alluded  had  in  his 
own  case  actually  occurred,  and,  at  the  next  instant,  a 
band  of  wild  horsemen  whirled  by  them,  with  the  noise 
less  rapidity  in  which  it  might  be  imagined  a  troop  of 
specters  would  pass.  The  dark  and  fleeting  forms  were 
already  vanished,  when  the  trapper  ventured  again  to 
raise  his  head  to  a  level  with  the  tops  of  the  bending 
herbage,  motioning  at  the  same  time  to  his  companions  to 
maintain  their  positions  and  their  silence. 

"They  are  going  down  the  swell  towards  the  encamp- 


THE  PRAIRIE  35 

ment,"  he  continued,  in  his  former  guarded  tone;  "no, 
they  halt  in  the  bottom,  and  are  clustering  together  like 
deer  in  council.     By  the  Lord,  they  are  turning  again 
and  we  are  not  yet  done  with  the  reptiles!" 

Once  more  he  sought  his  friendly  cover,  and  at  the  next 
instant  the  dark  troop  was  to  be  seen  riding,  in  a  disor 
derly  manner,  on  the  very  summit  of  the  little  elevation 
on  which  the  trapper  and  his  companions  lay.  It  was  now 
soon  apparent  that  they  had  returned  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  height  of  the  ground,  in  order  to  examine  the  dim 
horizon. 

Some  dismounted,  while  others  rode  to  and  fro,  like 
men  engaged  in  a  local  inquiry  of  much  interest.  Happily 
for  the  hidden  party,  the  grass  in  which  they  were  con 
cealed  not  only  served  to  screen  them  from  the  eyes  of  the 
savages,  but  opposed  an  obstacle  to  prevent  their  horses, 
which  were  no  less  rude  and  untrained  than  their  riders, 
from  trampling  on  them,  in  their  irregular  and  wild  paces. 

At  length  an  athletic  and  dark-looking  Indian,  who,  by 
his  air  of  authority,  would  seem  to  be  the  leader,  sum 
moned  his  chiefs  about  him,  to  a  consultation,  which  was 
held  mounted.  This  body  was  collected  on  the  very  mar 
gin  of  that  mass  of  herbage  in  which  the  trapper  and  his 
companions  were  hid.  As  the  young  man  looked  up  and 
saw  the  fierce  aspect  of  the  group,  which  was  increasing 
at  each  instant  by  the  accession  of  some  countenance  and 
figure  apparently  more  forbidding  than  any  which  had 
preceded  it,  he  drew  his  rifle,  by  a  very  natural  impulse, 
from  beneath  him,  and  commenced  putting  it  in  a  state 
for  service.  The  female  at  his  side  buried  her  face  in  the 
grass,  by  a  feeling  that  was,  possibly,  quite  as  natural  to 
her  sex  and  habits,  leaving  him  to  follow  the  impulses  of 
his  hot  blood;  but  his  aged  and  more  prudent  adviser 
whispered  sternly  in  his  ear:  "The  tick  of  the  lock  is  as 
well  known  to  the  knaves  as  the  blast  of  a  trumpet  to  a 
soldier!  lay  down  the  piece — lay  down  the  piece;  should 
the  moon  touch  the  barrel,  it  could  not  fail  to  be  seen  by 
the  devils,  whose  eyes  are  keener  than  the  blackest  snake's 
The  smallest  motion,  now,  would  be  sure  to  bring  an 
arrow  among  us. ' ' 

The  bee-hunter  so  far  obeyed  as  to  continue  immovabl< 


36  THE   PRAIRIE 

and  silent.  But  there  was  still  sufficient  light  to  convince 
his  companion,  by  the  contracted  brow  and  threatening 
eye  of  the  young  man,  that  a  discovery  would  not  bestow 
a  bloodless  victory  on  the  savages.  Finding  his  advice 
disregarded,  the  trapper  took  his  measures  accordingly, 
and  awaited  the  result  with  a  resignation  and  calmness 
that  were  characteristic  of  the  individual. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Sioux  (for  the  sagacity  of  the 
old  man  was  not  deceived  in  the  character  of  his  danger 
ous  neighbors)  had  terminated  their  council,  and  were 
again  dispersed  along  the  ridge  of  land  as  if  they  sought 
some  hidden  object. 

"The  imps  have  heard  the  hound!"  whispered  the  trap 
per,  "and  their  ears  are  too  true  to  be  cheated  in  the 
distance.  Keep  close,  lad,  keep  close;  down  with  your 
head  to  the  very  earth,  like  a  dog  that  sleeps." 

"Let  us  rather  take  to  our  feet,  and  trust  to  manhood, ' ' 
returned  his  impatient  companion. 

He  would  have  proceeded;  but  feeling  a  hand  laid 
rudely  on  his  shoulder,  he  turned  his  eyes  upwards,  and 
beheld  the  dark  and  savage  countenance  of  an  Indian 
gleaming  full  upon  him.  Notwithstanding  the  surprise 
and  the  disadvantage  of  his  attitude,  the  youth  was  not 
disposed  to  become  a  captive  so  easily.  Quicker  than  a 
flash  of  his  own  gun  he  sprang  upon  his  feet,  and  was 
throttling  his  opponent  with  a  power  that  would  soon  have 
terminated  the  contest,  when  he  felt  the  arms  of  the  trap 
per  thrown  around  his  body,  confining  his  exertions  by  a 
strength  very  little  inferior  to  his  own.  Before  he  had 
time  to  reproach  his  comrade  for  this  apparent  treachery, 
a  dozen  Sioux  were  around  them,  and  the  whole  party 
were  compelled  to  yield  themselves  as  prisoners. 


CHAPTER  IV 

T    .  "With  much  more  dismay, 

1  view  the  fight,  than  those  who  make  the  fray." 

—MERCHANT  OF  VENICE. 

THE  unfortunate  bee-hunter  and  his  companions  had 
become  the  captives  of  a  people  who  might,  without  ex 
aggeration,  be  called  the  Ishmaelites  of  the  American 
deserts.  From  time  immemorial  the  hands  of  the  Sioux 
had  been  turned  against  their  neighbors  of  the  prairies; 
and  even  at  this  day,  when  the  influence  and  authority  of 
a  civilized  government  are  beginning  to  be  felt  around 
them,  they  are  considered  a  treacherous  and  dangerous 
race.  At  the  period  of  our  tale  the  case  was  far  worse; 
few  white  men  trusting  themselves  in  the  remote  and  un 
protected  regions  where  so  false  a  tribe  was  known  t:> 
dwell. 

Notwithstanding  the  peaceable  submission  of  the  trap 
per,  he  was  quite  aware  of  the  character  of  the  band  into 
whose  hands  he  had  fallen.  It  would  have  been  difficult, 
however,  for  the  nicest  judge  to  have  determined  whether 
fear,  policy,  or  resignation  formed  the  secret  motive  of 
the  old  man,  in  permitting  himself  to  be  plundered  as  he 
did,  without  a  murmur.  So  far  from  opposing  any  re 
monstrance  to  the  rude  and  violent  manner  in  which  his 
conquerors  performed  the  customary  office,  he  even  antici 
pated  their  cupidity,  by  tendering  to  the  chiefs  such 
articles  as  he  thought  might  prove  the  most  acceptable. 
On  the  other  hand,  Paul  Hover,  who  had  been  literally  a 
conquered  man,  manifested  the  strongest  repugnance  to 
submit  to  the  violent  liberties  that  were  taken  with  his 
person  and  property.  He  even  gave  several  exceedingly 
unequivocal  demonstrations  of  his  displeasure  during  the 
summary  process,  and  would,  more  than  once,  have  broken 
out  in  open  and  desperate  resistance,  but  for  the  admoni 
tions  and  entreaties  of  the  trembling  girl,  who  clung  to 

37 


38  THE   PRAIRIE 

his  side  in  a  manner  so  dependent,  as  to  show  the  youth 
that  her  hopes  were  now  placed  no  less  on  his  discretion, 
than  on  his  disposition  to  serve  her. 

The  Indians  had,  however,  no  sooner  deprived  the  cap 
tives  of  their  arms  and  ammunition,  and  stripped  them  of 
a  few  articles  of  dress  of  little  use,  and  perhaps  of  less 
value,  than  they  appeared  disposed  to  grant  them  a  res 
pite.  Business  of  greater  moment  pressed  on  their  hands, 
and  required  their  attention.  Another  consultation  of  the 
chiefs  was  convened,  and  it  was  apparent,  by  the  earnest 
and  vehement  manner  of  the  few  who  spoke,  that  the 
warriors  conceived  their  success  as  yet  to  be  far  from 
complete. 

"It  will  be  well,"  whispered  the  trapper,  who  knew 
enough  of  the  language  he  heard  to  comprehend  perfectly 
the  subject  of  the  discussion,  "if  the  travelers  who  lie 
near  the  willow  brake  are  not  awoke  out  of  their  sleep  by 
a  visit  from  these  miscreants.  They  are  too  cunning  to 
believe  that  a  woman  of  the  'pale  faces'  is  to  be  found  so 
far  from  the  settlements,  without  having  a  white  man's 
inventions  and  comforts  at  hand." 

"If  they  will  carry  the  tribe  of  wandering  Ishmael  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains,"  said  the  young  bee-hunter,  laughing 
in  his  vexation  with  a  sort  of  bitter  merriment,  "I  may 
forgive  the  rascals." 

"Paul!  Paul!"  exclaimed  his  companion  in  atone  of 
reproach,  "you  forget  all!  Think  of  the  dreadful  conse 
quences  ! ' ' 

"Ay,  it  was  thinking  of  what  you  call  consequences, 
Ellen,  that  prevented  me  from  putting  the  matter,  at 
once,  to  yonder  red  devil,  and  making  it  a  real  knock 
down  and  drag-out!  Old  trapper,  the  sin  of  this  cowardly 
business  lies  on  your  shoulders!  But  it  is  no  more  than 
your  daily  calling,  I  reckon,  to  take  men,  as  well  as 
beasts,  in  snares." 

"I  implore  you,  Paul,  to  be  calm — to  be  patient." 

"Well,  since  it  is  your  wish,  Ellen,"  returned  the 
youth,  endeavoring  to  swallow  his  spleen,  "I  will  make 
the  trial,  though,  as  you  ought  to  know,  it  is  part  of  the 
religion  of  a  Kentuckian  to  fret  himself  a  little  at  a  mis 
chance.  ' ' 


THE   PRAIRIE  39 

"I  fear  your  friends  in  the  other  bottom  will  not  escape 
the  eyes  of  the  imps!"  continued  the  trapper,  as  coolly 
as  though  he  had  not  heard  a  syllable  of  the  intervening 
discourse.  "They  scent  plunder;  and  it  would  be  as  hard 
to  drive  a  hound  from  his  game,  as  to  throw  the  varmints 
from  the  trail." 

"Is  there  nothing  to  be  done?"  asked  Ellen,  in  an  im 
ploring  manner,  which  proved  the  sincerity  of  her  concern. 

"It  would  be  an  easy  matter  to  call  out  in  so  loud  a 
voice  as  to  make  old  Ishmael  dream  that  the  wolves  were 
among  his  flock, "  Paul  replied;  "I  can  make  myself  heard 
a  mile  in  these  open  fields,  and  his  camp  is  but  a  short 
quarter  from  us. ' ' 

"And  get  knocked  on  the  head  for  your  pains, ' '  returned 
the  trapper.  "No,  no;  cunning  must  match  cunning,  or 
the  hounds  will  murder  the  whole  family." 

"Murder!  no — no  murder.  Ishmael  loves  travel  so 
well,  there  would  be  no  harm  in  his  having  a  look  at  the 
other  sea,  but  the  old  fellow  is  in  a  bad  condition  to  take 
the  long  journey!  I  would  try  a  lock  myself  before  he 
should  be  quite  murdered." 

"His  party  is  strong  in  number,  and  well  armed;  do 
you  think  it  will  fight?" 

"Look  here,  old  trapper:  Few  men  love  Ishmael  Bush 
and  his  seven  sledge-hammer  sons  less  than  one  Paul  Hover; 
but  I  scorn  to  slander  even  a  Tennessee  shot-gun.  There 
is  as  much  of  the  true  stand-up  courage  among  them  as 
there  is  in  any  family  that  was  ever  raised  in  Kentuck 
itself.  They  are  a  long-sided  and  a  double-jointed  breed 
and,  let  me  tell  you,  that  he  who  takes  the  measure  of  one 
of  them  on  the  ground  must  be  a  workman  at  a  hug. ' 

"Hist!     The  savages  have  done  their  talk,  and  areabo 
to  set  their  accursed  devices  in  motion.  Let  us  be  patient; 
something  may  yet  offer  in  favor  of  your  friends 

"Friends!     Call  none  of  the  race  a  friend   of  mine, 
trapper,  if  you  have  the  smallest  regard  for  my  affed 
What  I  say  in  their  favor  is  less  from  love  than  hones  y.^ 

"I  did  not  know  but  the  young  woman  was  of  1 
returned  the  other,  a  little  dryly;  "but  no  offense  shou 
be  taken,  where  none  was  intended." 

The  mouth  of  Paul  was  again  stopped  by  the  hand 


40  THE   PRAIRIE 

Ellen,  who  took  upon  herself  to  reply,  in  her  conciliating 
tones:  "We  should  be  all  of  a  family,  when  it  is  in  our 
power  to  serve  each  other.  We  depend  entirely  on  your 
experience,  honest  old  man,  to  discover  the  means  to  ap 
prise  our  friends  of  their  danger." 

"There  will  be  a  real  time  of  it,"  muttered  the  bee- 
hunter,  laughing,  "if  the  boys  get  at  work,  in  good  earn 
est,  with  these  red-skins!" 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  general  movement  which  took 
place  among  the  band.  The  Indians  dismounted  to  a  man, 
giving  their  horses  in  charge  to  three  or  four  of  the  party, 
who  were  also  intrusted  with  the  safe-keeping  of  the  pris 
oners.  They  then  formed  themselves  in  a  circle  around  a 
warrior  who  appeared  to  possess  the  chief  authority;  and 
at  a  given  signal  the  whole  array  moved  slowly  and  cau 
tiously  from  the  center  in  straight  and  consequently  in 
diverging  lines.  Most  of  their  dark  forms  were  soon 
blended  with  the  brown  covering  of  the  prairie;  though 
the  captives,  who  watched  the  slightest  movement  of  their 
enemies  with  vigilant  eyes,  were  now  and  then  enabled 
to  discern  a  human  figure  drawn  against  the  horizon,  as 
some  one,  more  eager  than  the  rest,  rose  to  his  greatest 
height  in  order  to  extend  the  limits  of  his  view.  But  it 
was  not  long  before  even  these  fugitive  glimpses  of  the 
moving  and  constantly  increasing  circle  were  lost,  and  un 
certainty  and  conjecture  were  added  to  apprehension.  In 
this  manner  passed  many  anxious  and  weary  minutes,  dur 
ing  the  close  of  which  the  listeners  expected  at  each 
moment  to  hear  the  whoop  of  the  assailants  and  the  shrieks 
of  the  assailed,  rising  together  on  the  stillness  of  the 
night.  But  it  would  seem,  that  the  search  which  was  so 
evidently  making,  was  without  a  sufficient  object;  for  at 
the  expiration  of  half  an  hour  the  different  individuals  of 
the  band  began  to  return  singly,  gloomy  and  sullen,  like 
men  who  were  disappointed. 

"Our  time  is  at  hand, ' '  observed  the  trapper,  who  noted 
the  smallest  incident,  or  the  slightest  indication  of  hos 
tility  among  the  savages;  "we  are  now  to  be  questioned; 
and  if  I  know  anything  of  the  policy  of  our  case,  I  should 
say  it  would  be  wise  to  choose  one  among  us  to  hold  the 
discourse,  in  order  that  our  testimony  may  agree.  And 


THE   PRAIRIE  41 

furthermore,  if  an  opinion  from  one  as  old  and  as  worth 
less  as  a  hunter  of  fourscore  is  to  be  regarded,  I  would 
just  venture  to  say,  that  man  should  be  the  one  most 
skilled  in  the  natur'  of  an  Indian,  and  that  he  should  also 
know  something  of  their  language.  Are  you  acquainted 
with  the  tongue  of  the  Sioux,  friend?" 

'  'Swarm  your  own  hive,  '  '  returned  the  discontented  bee- 
hunter.  "You  are  good  at  buzzing,  old  trapper,  if  you 
are  good  at  nothing  else." 

"  'Tis  the  gift  of  youth  to  be  rash  and  heady,"  the 
trapper  calmly  retorted.  "The  day  has  been,  boy,  when 
my  blood  was  like  your  own,  too  swift  and  too  hot  to  run 
quietly  in  my  veins.  But  what  will  it  profit  to  talk  of 
silly  risks  and  foolish  acts  at  this  time  of  life?  A  gray 
head  should  cover  a  brain  of  reason,  and  not  the  tongue  of 
o  V)o?mi"fiT" 

"True,  true,"  whispered  Ellen;  "and  we  have  other 
things  to  attend  to  now!  Here  comes  the  Indian  to  put 
his  questions." 

The  girl,  whose  apprehensions  had  quickened  her  s< 
was  not  deceived.     She  was  speaking  when  a  tall,  half 
naked  savage  approached  the  spot  where  they  stood,  and 
after  examining  the  whole  party  as  closely  as 
light  permitted,  for  more  than  a  minute  in  perfe 
ness    he  gave  the  usual  salutation  in  the  harsh  and  gu 
tural  tones  of  his  own  language.     The  trapper  rep  iu 
well  as  he  could,  which  it  seems  was  sufficiently  we 
understood.    In  order  to  escape  the  imputation  of  pedantry 
we  shall  render  the  substance,  and,  so  far  as  nt  is  jx* 
the  form  of  the  dialogue  that  succeeded,  into  tl 


the  palefaces  eaten  their  own  buffaloe 
taken  the  skins  from  all  their  own  beavers 

savae-e    allowing  the  usual  moment  of  decon 
*£%  Swords  of  greeting,  **"* 
"that  they  come  to  count  how  many  are 


e  of  us  are  here  to  buy  and  I  .».  to  ££;•  |; 
turned  the  trapper;  "but  none  will  follow  if  tho 


42  THE   PRAIRIE 

snow;  why  do  we  talk  of  a  people  who  are  so  far,  when 
we  are  in  the  country  of  the  Pawnees?" 

"If  the  Pawnees  are  the  owners  of  this  land,  then  white 
and  red  are  here  by  equal  right." 

"Have  not  the  pale  faces  stolen  enough  from  the  red 
men,  that  you  come  so  far  to  a  cry  a  lie?  I  have  said 
that  this  is  a  hunting-ground  of  my  tribe." 

"My  right  to  be  here  is  equal  to  your  own,"  the  trap 
per  rejoined,  with  undisturbed  coolness;  "I  do  not  speak 
as  I  might — it  is  better  to  be  silent.  The  Pawnees  and 
the  white  men  are  brothers,  but  a  Sioux  dare  not  show  his 
face  in  the  village  of  the  Loups." 

"The  Dahcotahs  are  men!"  exclaimed  the  savage, 
fiercely;  forgetting  in  his  anger  to  maintain  the  character 
he  had  assumed,  and  using  the  appellation  of  which  his 
nation  was  most  proud;  "the  Dahcotahs  have  no  fear! 
Speak;  what  brings  you  so  far  from  the  villages  of  the 
pale  faces?" 

"I  have  seen  the  sun  rise  and  set  on  many  councils,  and 
have  heard  the  words  of  wise  men.  Let  your  chiefs  come, 
and  my  mouth  shall  not  be  shut." 

"I  am  a  great  chief!"  said  the  savage,  affecting  an  air 
of  offended  dignity.  "Do  you  take  me  for  an  Assini- 
boine?  Weucha  is  a  warrior  often  named,  and  much 
believed!" 

"Am  I  a  fool,  not  to  know  a  burnt- wood  Teton?" 
demanded  the  trapper,  with  a  steadiness  that  did  great 
credit  to  his  nerves.  "Go;  it  is  dark,  and  you  do  not  see 
that  my  head  is  gray!" 

The  Indian  now  appeared  convinced  that  he  had  adopted 
too  shallow  an  artifice  to  deceive  one  so  practised  as  the 
man  he  addressed,  and  he  was  deliberating  what  fiction 
he  should  next  invent,  in  order  to  obtain  his  real  object, 
when  a  slight  commotion  among  the  band  put  an  end  at 
once  to  all  his  schemes.  Casting  his  eyes  behind  him,  as 
if  fearful  of  a  speedy  interruption,  he  said,  in  tones  much 
less  pretending  than  those  he  had  first  resorted  to: 

"Give  Weucha  the  milk  of  the  Long-knives,  and  he  will 
sing  your  name  in  the  ears  of  the  great  men  of  his  tribe." 

"Go,"  repeated  the  trapper,  motioning  him  away,  with 
strong  disgust.  "Your  young  men  are  speaking  of  Mah- 
toree.  My  words  are  for  the  ears  of  a  chief. ' ' 


THE  PRAIRIE  43 

The  savage  cast  a  look  on  the  other,  which  notwith 
standing  the  dim  light,  was  sufficiently  indicative  of  im 
placable  hostility.  He  then  stole  away  among  his  fellows 
anxious  to  conceal  the  counterfeit  he  had  attempted  to 
practise,  no  less  than  the  treachery  he  had  contemplated 
against  a  fair  division  of  the  spoils,  from  the  man  named 
by  the  trapper,  whom  he  now  also  knew  to  be  approach 
ing,  by  the  manner  in  which  his  name  passed  from  one  to 
another,  in  the  band.  He  had  hardly  disappeared  before 
a  warrior  of  powerful  frame  advanced  out  of  the  dark 
circle,  and  placed  himself  before  the  captives,  with  that 
high  and  proud  bearing  for  which  a  distinguished  Indian 
chief  is  ever  so  remarkable.  He  was  followed  by  all  the 
party,  who  arranged  themselves  around  his  person,  in  a 
deep  and  respectful  silence. 

"The  earth  is  very  large,"  the  chief  commenced,  after 
a  pause  of  that  true  dignity  which  his  counterfeit  had  so 
miserably  affected;  "why  can  the  children  of  my  great 
white  father  never  find  room  on  it?" 

"Some  among  them  have  heard  that  their  friends  in 
the  prairies  are  in  want  of  many  things,"  returned  the 
trapper;  "and  they  have  come  to  see  if  it  be  true.  Some 
want, 'in  their  turns,  what  the  red  men  are  willing  to  sell, 
and  they  come  to  make  their  friends  rich  with  powder 
and  blankets." 

"Do  traders  cross  the  Big  River  with  empty  hands?" 

"Our  hands  are  empty  because  your  young  men  thought 
we  were  tired,  and  they  have  lightened  us  of  our  load. 
They  were  mistaken;  I  am  old,  but  I  am  still  strong." 

"It  cannot  be.  Your  load  has  fallen  in  the  prairies. 
Show  my  young  men  the  place,  that  they  may  pick  it  up 
before  the  Pawnees  find  it." 

"The  path  to  the  spot  is  crooked,  and  it  is  night.  The 
hour  is  come  for  sleep,"  said  the  trapper,  with  perfect 
composure.  "Bid  your  warriors  go  over  yonder  hill; 
there  is  water  and  there  is  wood;  let  them  light  thrir 
fires  and  sleep  with  warm  feet.  When  the  sun  com.-s 
again  I  will  speak  to  you." 

A  low  murmur,  but  one  that  was  clearly  indicative  c 
dissatisfaction,  passed  among  the  attentive  listeners,  and 
served  to  inform  the  old  man  that  he  had  not  been  sum- 


44  THE   PRAIRIE 

ciently  wary  in  proposing  a  measure  that  he  intended 
should  notify  the  travelers  in  the  brake  of  the  presence  of 
their  dangerous  neighbors.  Mahtoree,  however,  without 
betraying  in  the  slightest  degree  the  excitement  which 
was  so  strongly  exhibited  by  his  companions,  continued 
the  discourse  in  the  same  lofty  manner  as  before. 

"I  know  that  my  friend  is  rich,"  he  said;  "that  he  has 
many  warriors  not  far  off,  and  that  horses  are  plentier 
with  him  than  dogs  among  the  red  skins." 

"You  see  my  warriors  and  my  horses." 

"What!  has  the  woman  the  feet  of  a  Dahcotah,  that 
she  can  walk  for  thirty  nights  in  the  prairies,  and  not 
fall !  I  know  the  red  men  of  the  woods  make  long  marches 
on  foot,  but  we,  who  live  where  the  eye  cannot  see  from 
one  lodge  to  another,  love  our  horses." 

The  trapper  now  hesitated,  in  his  turn.  He  was  per 
fectly  aware  that  deception,  if  detected,  might  prove  dan 
gerous;  and  for  one  of  his  pursuits  and  character,  he  was 
strongly  troubled  with  an  unaccommodating  regard  for 
the  truth.  But  recollecting  that  he  controlled  the  fate  of 
others  as  well  as  of  himself,  he  determined  to  let  things 
take  their  course,  and  to  permit  the  Dahcotah  chief  to 
deceive  himself,  if  he  would. 

"The  women  of  the  Sioux  and  of  the  white  men  are 
not  of  the  same  wigwam,"  he  answered,  evasively.  "Would 
a  Teton  warrior  make  his  wife  greater  than  himself?  I 
know  he  would  not ;  and  yet  my  ears  have  heard  there  are 
lands  where  the  councils  are  held  by  squaws." 

Another  slight  movement  in  the  dark  circle  apprised 
the  trapper  that  his  declaration  was  not  received  without 
surprise,  if  entirely  without  distrust.  The  chief  alone 
seemed  unmoved ;  nor  was  he  disposed  to  relax  from  the 
loftiness  and  high  dignity  of  his  air. 

"My  white  fathers  who  live  on  the  Great  Lakes  have 
declared,"  he  said,  "that  their  brothers  towards  the  ris 
ing  sun  are  not  men;  and  now  I  know  they  did  not  lie! 
Go;  what  is  a  nation  whose  chief  is  a  squaw!  Are  you 
the  dog  and  not  the  husband  of  this  woman?" 

"I  am  neither.  Never  did  I  see  her  face  before  this 
day.  She  came  into  the  prairies  because  they  had  told 
her  a  great  and  generous  nation  called  the  Dahcotahs  lived 


THE   PRAIRIE  45 

there,  and  she  wished  to  look  on  men.  The  women  of  the 
pale  faces,  like  the  women  of  the  Sioux,  open  their 
eyes  to  see  things  that  are  new;  but  she  is  poor,  like  my 
self,  and  she  will  want  corn  and  buffaloes,  if  you  take 
away  the  little  that  she  and  her  friend  still  have." 

"My  ears  listen  to  many  wicked  lies!"  exclaimed  the 
Teton  warrior,  in  a  voice  so  stern  that  it  startled  even 
his  red  auditors.  "Am  I  a  woman?  Has  not  a  Dahcotah 
eyes?  Tell  me,  white  hunter;  who  are  the  men  of  your 
color  that  sleep  near  the  fallen  trees?" 

As  he  spoke,  the  indignant  chief  pointed  in  the  direction 
of  Ishmael's  encampment,  leaving  the  trapper  no  reason 
to  doubt  that  the  superior  industry  and  sagacity  of  this 
man  had  effected  a  discovery  which  had  eluded  the  search 
of  the  rest  of  his  party.  Notwithstanding  his  regret  at 
an  event  that  might  prove  fatal  to  the  sleepers,  and  some 
little  vexation  at  having  been  so  completely  outwitted  in 
the  dialogue  just  related,  the  old  man  continued  to  main 
tain  his  air  of  inflexible  composure. 

"It  may  be  true,"  he  answered,  "that  white  men  are 
sleeping  in  the  prairie.  If  my  brother  says  it,  it  is  true; 
but  what  men  thus  trust  to  the  generosity  of  the  Tetons, 
I  cannot  tell.  If  there  be  strangers  asleep,  send  your 
young  men  to  wake  them  up,  and  let  them  say  why  they 
are  here;  every  pale  face  has  a  tongue." 

The  chief  shook  his  head  with  a  wild  and  fierce  smile, 
answering  abruptly,  as  he  turned  away  to  put  an  end  to 
the  conference: 

"The  Dahcotahs  are  a  wise  race,  and  Mahtoree  i 
chief!     He  will  not  call  to  the  strangers,  that  they  may 
rise  and  speak  to  him  with  their  carbines.     He  will  whis 
per  softly  in  their  ears.     When  this  is  done,  let 
of  their  own  color  come  and  awake  them!" 

As  he  uttered  these  words,  and  turned  on  h 
low  and  approving  laugh  passed  around  the  dark 
which  instantly  broke  its  order,  and  followed 
little  distance  from  the  stand  of  the  captives,  where 
who  might  presume  to  mingle  opinions  i          w  great 
warrior,  again  gathered  about  him  in  consult* 
cha  profited  by  this  occasion  to  renew  his  import 
but  the  trapper,  who  had  discovered  how  great  a  count 


46  THE   PRAIRIE 

feit  he  was,  shook  him  off  in  displeasure.  An  end  was, 
however,  more  effectually  put  to  the  annoyance  of  this 
malignant  savage,  by  a  mandate  for  the  whole  party,  in 
cluding  men  and  beasts,  to  change  their  positions.  The 
movement  was  made  in  dead  silence,  and  with  an  order 
that  would  have  done  credit  to  more  enlightened  beings. 
A  halt,  however,  was  soon  made;  and  when  the  captives 
had  time  to  look  about  them,  they  found  they  were  in 
view  of  the  low,  dark  outline  of  the  copse  near  which  lay 
the  slumbering  party  of  Ishmael. 

Here  another  short  but  grave  and  deliberate  consultation 
was  held. 

The  beasts,  which  seemed  trained  to  such  covert  and 
silent  attacks,  were  once  more  placed  under  the  care  of 
keepers,  who,  as  before,  were  charged  with  the  duty  of 
watching  the  prisoners.  The  mind  of  the  trapper  was  in 
no  degree  relieved  from  the  uneasiness  which  was  at  each 
instant  getting  a  stronger  possession  of  him,  when  he 
found  Weucha  was  placed  nearest  to  his  own  person,  and 
as  it  appeared  by  the  air  of  triumph  and  authority  he  as 
sumed,  at  the  head  of  the  guard  also.  The  savage,  how 
ever,  who  doubtless  had  his  secret  instructions,  was  con 
tent,  for  the  present,  with  making  a  significant  gesture 
with  his  tomahawk,  which  menaced  death  to  Ellen.  After 
admonishing  in  this  expressive  manner  his  male  captives 
of  the  fate  that  would  instantly  attend  their  female  com 
panion  on  the  slightest  alarm  proceeding  from  any  of  the 
party,  he  was  content  to  maintain  a  rigid  silence.  This 
unexpected  forbearance  on  the  part  of  Weucha,  enabled 
the  trapper  and  his  two  associates  to  give  their  undivided 
attention  to  the  little  that  might  be  seen  of  the  interesting 
movements  which  were  passing  in  their  front. 

Mahtoree  took  the  entire  disposition  of  the  arrange 
ments  on  himself.  He  pointed  out  the  precise  situation 
he  wished  each  individual  to  occupy,  like  one  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  qualifications  of  his  respective  fol 
lowers,  and  he  was  obeyed  with  the  deference  and  prompti 
tude  with  which  an  Indian  warrior  is  wont  to  submit  to 
the  instructions  of  his  chief  in  moments  of  trial.  Some 
he  despatched  to  the  right,  and  others  to  the  left.  Each 
man  departed  with  the  noiseless  and  quick  step  peculiar 


THE   PRAIRIE  47 

to  the  race,  until  all  had  assumed  their  allotted  stations, 
with  the  exception  of  two  chosen  warriors,  who  remained 
nigh  the  person  of  their  leader.  When  the  rest  had  dis 
appeared,  Mahtoree  turned  to  these  select  companions,  and 
intimated  by  a  sign  that  the  critical  moment  had  arrived, 
when  the  enterprise  he  contemplated  was  to  be  put  in 
execution. 

Each  man  laid  aside  the  light  fowling-picee,  which, 
under  the  name  of  a  carbine,  he  carried  in  virtue  of  his 
rank;  and  divesting  himself  of  every  article  of  exterior  or 
heavy  clothing,  he  stood  resembling  a  dark  and  fierce- 
looking  statue,  in  the  attitude,  and  nearly  in  the  garb  of 
nature.  Mahtoree  assured  himself  of  the  right  position  of 
his  tomahawk,  felt  that  his  knife  was  secure  in  its  sheath 
of  skin,  tightened  his  girdle  of  wampum,  and  saw  that 
the  lacing  of  his  fringed  and  ornamented  leggings  was 
secure,  and  likely  to  offer  no  impediment  to  his  exertions. 
Thus  prepared  at  all  points,  and  ready  for  his  desperate 
undertaking,  the  Teton  gave  the  signal  to  proceed. 

The  three  advanced  in  a  line  with  the  encampment  of 
the  travelers,  until,  in  the  dim  light  by  which  they  were 
seen,  their  dusky  forms  were  nearly  lost  to  the  eyes  of  the 
prisoners.  Here  they  paused,  looking  around  them  like 
men  who  deliberate  and  ponder  long  on  the  consequences 
before  they  take  a  desperate  leap.  Then,  sinking  together, 
they  became  lost  in  the  grass  of  the  prairie. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  imagine  the  distress  and  anxietj 
the  different  spectators  of  these  threatening  movements. 
Whatever  might  be  the  reasons  of  Ellen  for  entertain 
no  strong  attachment  to  the  family  in  which  she  has 
been  seen  by  the  reader,  the  feelings  of  her  sex   and  p. 
haps,   some  lingering  seeds   of  kindness,  Predom^at<*d 
More  than  once  she  felt  tempted  to  brave  the  ajful  an 
instant  danger  that  awaited  such  an  offense,  and 
her  feeble,  and,  in  truth,  impotent  voice  in  warnmj 
strong,  indeed,  and  so  very  natural  was  the  incl.    ition, 
that  she  would  most  probably  have  put  it  into  exect 
for  the  often-repeated,  though  whispered  remon 
of  Paul  Hover.     In  the  breast  of  the  young  bee-hi 
himself  there  was  a  singular  union  of  emot  ons.    His  first 
and  chief  solicitude  was  certainly  m  behalf  of  his 


48  THE   PRAIRIE 

and  dependent  companion;  but  the  sense  of  her  danger 
was  mingled  in  the  breast  of  the  reckless  woodsman,  with 
a  consciousness  of  a  high  and  wild,  and  by  no  means  an 
unpleasant,  excitement.  Though  united  to  the  emigrants 
by  ties  still  less  binding  than  those  of  Ellen,  he  longed  to 
hear  the  crack  of  their  rifles,  and,  had  occasion  offered,  he 
would  gladly  have  been  among  the  first  to  rush  to  their 
rescue.  There  were,  in  truth,  moments  when  he  felt  in 
his  turn  an  impulse  that  was  nearly  resistless,  to  spring 
forward  and  awake  the  unconscious  sleepers;  but  a  glance 
at  Ellen  would  serve  to  recall  his  tottering  prudence,  and 
to  admonish  him  of  the  consequences.  The  trapper  alone 
remained  calm  and  observant,  as  if  nothing  that  involved 
his  personal  comfort  or  safety  had  occurred.  His*  ever- 
moving,  vigilant  eyes  watched  the  smallest  change,  with 
the  composure  of  one  too  long  inured  to  scenes  of  danger 
to  be  easily  moved,  and  with  an  expression  of  cool  deter 
mination  which  denoted  the  intention  he  actually  harbored, 
of  profiting  by  the  smallest  oversight  on  the  part  of  the 
captors. 

In  the  mean  time  the  Teton  warriors  had  not  been  idle. 
Profiting  by  the  high  fog  which  grew  in  the  bottoms  they 
had  wormed  their  way  through  the  matted  grass,  like  so 
many  treacherous  serpents  stealing  on  their  prey,  Until 
the  point  was  gained  where  an  extraordinary  caution  be 
came  necessary  to  their  further  advance.  Mahtoree  alone 
had  occasionally  elevated  his  dark,  grim  countenance  above 
the  herbage,  straining  his  eyeballs  to  penetrate  the  gloom 
which  skirted  the  border  of  the  brake.  In  these  momen 
tary  glances  he  gained  sufficient  knowledge,  added  to  that 
he  had  obtained  in  his  former  search,  to  be  the  perfect 
master  of  the  position  of  his  intended  victims,  though  he 
was  still  profoundly  ignorant  of  their  numbers,  and  of 
their  means  of  defense. 

His  efforts  to  possess  himself  of  the  requisite  knowledge 
concern  ing  these  two  latter  and  essential  points  were,  how 
ever,  completely  baffled  by  the  stillness  of  the  camp,  which 
lay  in  a  quiet  as  deep  as  if  it  were  literally  a  place  of 
the  dead.  Too  wary  and  distrustful  to  rely,  in  circum 
stances  of  so  much  doubt,  on  the  discretion  of  any  less 
firm  and  crafty  than  himself,  the  Dahcotah  bade  his  com- 


THE  PRAIRIE  49 

panions  remain  where  they  lay,  and  pursued  the  adventure 
alone. 

The  progress  of  Mahtoree  was  now  slow,  and,  to  one 
less  accustomed  to  such  a  species  of  exercise,  it  woulcj 
have  proved  painfully  laborious.  But  the  advance  of  the 
wily  snake  itself  is  not  more  certain  or  noiseless  than  was 
his  approach.  He  drew  his  form,  foot  by  foot,  through 
the  bending  grass,  pausing  at  each  movement  to  catch  the 
smallest  sound  that  might  betray  any  knowledge,  on  the 
part  of  the  travelers,  of  his  proximity.  He  succeeded,  at 
length  in  dragging  himself  out  of  the  sickly  light  of  the 
moon  into  the  shadows  of  the  brake,  where  not  only  his 
own  dark  person  was  much  less  liable  to  be  seen,  but 
where  the  surrounding  objects  became  more  distinctly 
visible  to  his  keen  and  active  glances. 

Here    the  Teton  paused  long  and  warily  to  make  his 
observations  before  he  ventured  further.     His  position 
enabled  him  to  bring  the  whole  encampment,  with  its  tent, 
wagons,  and  lodges,  into  a  dark  but  clearly  marked  profile; 
furnishing  a  clue  by  which  the  practised  warrior  was  led 
to  a  tolerably  accurate  estimate  of  the  force  he  was  about 
to  encounter.     Still,  an  unnatural  silence  pervaded  the 
spot,  as  if  men  suppressed  even  the  quiet  breathings 
sleep    in  order  to  render  the  appearance  of  their  coi 
dence  more  evident.     The  chief  bent  his  head  to  the  earth, 
and  listened  intently.     He  was  about  to  raise  it  again,  ir 
disappointment,  when  the  long-drawn  and  trembhr 
piration  of  one  who  slumbered  imperfectly  met  his 
The  Indian  was  too  well  skilled  in  all  the  means  of  decep 
tion  to  become  himself  the  victim  of  any  common  art 
He  knew  the  sound  to  be  natural,  by  its  peculiar  quiver 
ing,  and  he  hesitated  no  longer. 

A  man  of  nerves  less  tried  than  those  of  the  fierce  and 

the  vindictive  animosity  of  a  red  man,  jealoub  and 
ful  of  the  inroads  of  the  stranger. 


; 


50  THE   PRAIRIE 

Turning  from  the  line  of  his  former  route,  the  Teton 
dragged  himself  directly  towards  the  margin  of  the 
thicket.  When  this  material  object  was  effected  in  safety, 
he  arose  to  his  seat,  and  took  a  better  survey  of  his  situ 
ation.  A  single  moment  served  to  apprise  him  of  the 
place  where  the  unsuspecting  traveler  lay.  The  reader 
will  readily  anticipate  that  the  savage  had  succeeded  in 
gaining  a  dangerous  proximity  to  one  of  those  slothful 
sons  of  Ishmael  who  were  deputed  to  watch  over  the  iso 
lated  encampment  of  the  travelers. 

When  certain  that  he  was  undiscovered,  the  Dahcotah 
raised  his  person  again,  and  bending  forward,  he  moved 
his  dark  visage  above  the  face  of  the  sleeper,  in  that  sort 
of  wanton  and  subtle  manner  with  which  the  reptile  is 
seen  to  play  about  its  victim  before  it  strikes.  Satisfied 
at  length,  not  only  of  the  condition  but  of  the  character 
of  the  stranger,  Mahtoree  was  in  the  act  of  withdrawing 
his  head,  when  a  slight  movement  of  the  sleeper  announced 
the  symptoms  of  reviving  consciousness.  The  savage 
seized  the  knife  which  hung  at  his  girdle,  and  in  an  instant 
it  was  poised  above  the  breast  of  the  young  emigrant. 
Then,  changing  his  purpose,  with  an  action  as  rapid  as  his 
own  flashing  thoughts,  he  sank  back  behind  the  trunk  of 
the  fallen  tree  against  which  the  other  reclined,  and  lay  in 
its  shadow,  as  dark,  as  motionless,  and  apparently  as  in 
sensible  as  the  wood  itself. 

The  slothful  sentinel  opened  his  heavy  eyes,  and,  gazing 
upwards  for  a  moment  at  the  hazy  heavens,  he  made  an 
extraordinary  exertion,  and  raised  his  powerful  frame 
from  the  support  of  the  log.  Then  he  looked  about  him, 
with  an  air  of  something  like  watchfulness,  suffering  his 
dull  glance  to  run  over  the  misty  objects  of  the  encamp 
ment  until  they  finally  settled  on  the  distant  and  dim  field 
of  the  open  prairie.  Meeting  with  nothing  more  attrac 
tive  than  the  same  faint  outlines  of  swell  and  interval 
which  everywhere  rose  before  his  drowsy  eyes,  he  changed 
his  position  so  as  completely  to  turn  his  back  on  his  dan 
gerous  neighbor,  and  suffered  his  person  to  sink  sluggishly 
down  into  its  former  recumbent  attitude.  A  long,  and, 
on  the  part  of  the  Teton,  an  anxious  and  painful  silence 
succeeded,  before  the  deep  breathing  of  the  traveler 


THE   PRAIRIE  51 

again  announced  that  he  was  indulging  in  his  slumbers. 
The  savage  was,  however,  far  too  jealous  of  a  counter 
feit  to  trust  to  the  first  appearance  of  sleep.  But  the 
fatigues  of  a  day  of  unusual  toil  lay  too  heavy  on  the  sen 
tinel  to  leave  the  other  long  in  doubt.  Still,  the  motion 
with  which  Mahtoree  again  raised  himself  to  his  knees 
was  so  noiseless  and  guarded,  that  even  a  vigilant  observer 
might  have  hesitated  to  believe  he  stirred.  The  change 
was,  however,  at  length  effected,  and  the  Dahcotah  chief 
then  bent  again  over  his  enemy,  without  having  produced 
a  noise  louder  than  that  of  the  cottonwood  leaf  which 
fluttered  at  his  side  in  the  currents  of  the  passing  air. 

Mahtoree  now  felt  himself  master  of  the  sleeper's  fate. 
At  the  same  time  that  he  scanned  the  vast  proportions 
and  athletic  limbs  of  the  youth,  in  that  sort  of  admiration 
which  physical  excellence  seldom  fails  to  excite  in  the 
breast  of  a  savage,  he  coolly  prepared  to  extinguish  the 
principle  of  vitality  which  could  alone  render  them  for 
midable.  After  making  himself  sure  of  the  seat  of  life, 
by  gently  removing  the  folds  of  the  intervening  cloth,  he 
raised  his  keen  weapon,  and  was  about  to  unite  his  strength 
and  skill  in  the  impending  blow,  when  the  young  man 
threw  his  brawny  arm  carelessly  backwards,  exhibiting  in 
the  action  the  vast  volume  of  its  muscles. 

The  sagacious  and  wary  Teton  paused.     It  struck  his 
acute  faculties  that  sleep  was  less  dangerous  to  him,  at 
that  moment,  than  even  death  itself  might  prove.     The 
smallest  noise,  the  agony  of  struggling,  with  which  such 
a  frame  would  probably  relinquish  its  hold  of  life,  sug 
gested  themselves  to  his  rapid  thoughts,   and  were  all 
present  to  his  experienced  senses.     He  looked  back 
the  encampment,  turned  his  head  into  the  thicket,  and 
glanced  his  glowing  eyes  abroad  into  the  wild  and  I 
prairies.     Bending  once  more  over  the  respited  victim, 
he  assured  himself  that  he  was  sleeping  heavily,  and 
abandoned  his  immediate  purpose  in  obedience  aloi 
the  suggestions  of  a  more  crafty  policy. 

The  retreat  of  Mahtoree  was  still  and  guarded  t 
been  his  approach.     He  now  took  the  direction i  of 1 
campment,  stealing  along  the  margin  of  the  br 
cover  into  which  he  might  easily  plunge  at  the  smalie 


52  THE   PRAIRIE 

alarm.  The  drapery  of  the  solitary  hut  attracted  his 
notice  in  passing.  After  examining  the  whole  of  its  ex 
terior,  and  listening  with  painful  intensity,  in  order  to 
gather  counsel  from  his  ears,  the  savage  ventured  to  raise 
the  cloth  at  the  bottom,  and  to  thrust  his  dark  visage 
beneath.  It  might  have  been  a  minute  before  the  Teton 
chief  drew  back,  and  seated  himself  with  the  whole  of  his 
form  without  the  linen  tenement.  Here  he  sat,  seemingly 
brooding  over  his  discovery,  for  many  moments,  in  rigid 
inaction.  Then  he  resumed  his  crouching  attitude,  and 
once  more  projected  his  visage  beyond  the  covering  of  the 
tent.  His  second  visit  to  the  interior  was  longer,  and,  if 
possible,  more  ominous  than  the  first.  But  it  had,  like 
everything  else,  its  termination,  and  the  savage  again 
withdrew  his  glaring  eyes  from  the  secrets  of  the  place. 

Mahtoree  had  drawn  his  person  many  yards  from  the 
spot,  in  slow  progress  towards  the  cluster  of  objects  which 
pointed  out  the  center  of  the  position,  before  he  again 
stopped.  He  made  another  pause,  and  looked  back  at  the 
solitary  little  dwelling  he  had  left,  as  if  doubtful  whether 
he  should  not  return.  But  the  chevaux-de-f  rise  of  branches 
now  lay  within  reach  of  his  arm  and  the  very  appearance 
of  precaution  it  presented,  as  it  announced  the  value  of 
the  effects  it  encircled,  tempted  his  cupidity,  and  induced 
him  to  proceed. 

The  passage  of  the  savage,  through  the  tender  and  brit 
tle  limbs  of  the  cotton-wood,  could  be  likened  only  to  the 
sinuous  and  noiseless  winding  of  the  reptiles  which  he 
imitated.  When  he  had  effected  his  object,  and  had  taken 
an  instant  to  become  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the 
localities  within  the  inclosure,  the  Teton  used  the  precau 
tion  to  open  a  way  through  which  he  might  make  a  swift 
retreat.  Then  raising  himself  on  his  feet,  he  stalked 
through  the  encampment,  like  the  master  of  evil,  seeking 
whom  and  what  he  should  first  devote  to  his  fell  purposes. 
He  had  already  ascertained  the  contents  of  the  lodge  in 
which  were  collected  the  woman  and  her  young  children, 
and  had  passed  several  gigantic  frames,  stretched  on  dif 
ferent  piles  of  brush,  which  happily  for  him  lay  in  uncon 
scious  helplessness,  when  he  reached  the  spot  occupied  by 
Ishmael  in  person.  It  could  not  escape  the  sagacity  of  one 


THE   PRAIRIE  53 

like  Mahtoree,  that  he  had  now  within  his  power  the  prin 
cipal  man  among  the  travelers.  He  stood  long,  hovering 
above  the  recumbent  and  Herculean  form  of  the  emigrant, 
keenly  debating  in  his  own  mind  the  chances  of  his  enter 
prise,  and  the  most  effectual  means  of  reaping  its  richest 
harvest. 

He  sheathed  the  knife,  which,  under  the  hasty  and 
burning  impulse  of  his  thoughts,  he  had  been  tempted  to 
draw,  and  was  passing  on,  when  Ishmael  turned  in  his 
lair,  and  demanded  roughly  who  was  moving  before  his 
half-opened  eyes.  Nothing  short  of  the  readiness  and 
cunning  of  a  savage  could  have  evaded  the  crisis.  Imita 
ting  the  gruff  tones  and  nearly  unintelligible  sounds  he 
heard,  Mahtoree  threw  his  body  heavily  on  the  earth,  and 
appeared  to  dispose  himself  to  sleep.  Though  the  whole 
movement  was  seen  by  Ishmael,  in  a  sort  of  stupid  obser 
vation,  the  artifice  was  too  bold  and  too  admirably  exe 
cuted  to  fail.  The  drowsy  father  closed  his  eyes  and 
slept  heavily,  with  this  treacherous  inmate  in  the  very 
bosom  of  his  family. 

It  was  necessary  for  the  Teton  to  maintain  the  position 
he  had  taken  for  many  long  and  weary  minutes,  in  order 
to  make  sure  that  he  was  no  longer  watched.    Though  his 
body  lay  so  motionless,  his  active  mind  was  not  idk 
profited  by  the  delay  to  mature  a  plan  which  he  intended 
should  put  the  whole    encampment,   including  both  its 
effects  and  their  proprietors,  entirely  at  his  mercy. 
instant  he  could  do  so  with  safety,  the  indefatigabl 
age  was  again  in  motion.     He  took  his  way  towards 
slight  pen  which  contained  the  domestic  animals  wo 
himself  along  the  ground  in  his  former  subtle  and  , 

m  ThlTfirst  animal  he  encountered  among  the  beasts  oc 
casioned  a  long  and  hazardous  delay      The  weary  creature 
perhaps  conscious,  through  its  secret  instinct, 
endless  wastes  of  the  prairies  its  surest  protec 
be  found  in  man,  was  so  exceedingly  docile  as  qu 
submit  to  the  close  examination  it  was  doom* to  . 

The  hand  of  the  wandering  Teton  passed  over 
coat,  the  meek  countenance,  and  the  **« 
gentle  creature,  with  untiring  curiosity,  but 


54  THE   PRAIRIE 

abandoned  the  prize,  as  useless  in  his  predatory  expedi 
tions,  and  offering  too  little  temptation  to  the  appetite. 
As  soon,  however,  as  he  found  himself  among  the  beasts 
of  burden,  his  gratification  was  extreme,  and  it  was  with 
difficulty  that  he  restrained  the  customary  ejaculations  of 
pleasure  that  were  more  than  once  on  the  point  of  burst 
ing  from  his  lips.  Here  he  lost  sight  of  the  hazards  by 
which  he  had  gained  access  to  his  dangerous  position;  and 
the  watchfulness  of  the  wary  and  long-practised  warrior 
was  momentarily  forgotten  in  the  exultation  of  the  savage. 


CHAPTER  V 

"  Why,  worthy  father,  what  have  we  to  lose? 

The  law 

Protects  us  not.    Then  why  should  we  be  tender 
To  let  an  arrogant  piece  of  flesh  threat  us  ! 
Play  judge  and  executioner." 

— CYMBELTNE. 

WHILE  the  Teton  thus  enacted  his  subtle  and  charac 
teristic  part,  not  a  sound  broke  the  stillness  of  the  sur 
rounding  prairie.  The  whole  band  lay  at  their  several 
posts,  waiting,  with  the  well-known  patience  of  the  natives, 
for  the  signal  which  was  to  summon  them  to  action.  To 
the  eyes  of  the  anxious  spectators  who  occupied  the  little 
eminence,  already  described  as  the  position  of  the  captives, 
the  scene  presented  the  broad,  solemn  view  of  a  waste, 
dimly  lighted  by  the  glimmering  rays  of  a  clouded  moon. 
The  place  of  the  encampment  was  marked  by  a  gloom 
deeper  than  that  which  faintly  shadowed  out  the  courses 
of  the  bottoms,  and  here  and  there  a  brighter  streak  tinged 
the  rolling  summits  of  the  ridges.  As  for  the  rest,  it  was 
the  deep,  imposing  quiet  of  a  desert. 

But  to  those  who  so  well  knew  how  much  was  brooding 
beneath  this  mantle  of  stillness  and  night,  it  was  a  scene 
of  high  and  wild  excitement.  Their  anxiety  gradually  in 
creased,  as  minute  after  minute  passed  away,  and  not  the 
smallest  sound  of  life  arose  out  of  the  calm  and  darkness 
which  enveloped  the  brake.  The  breathing  of  Paul  grew 
louder  and  deeper,  and  more  than  once  Ellen  trembled  at 
she  knew  not  what,  as  she  felt  the  quivering  of  his  active 
frame,  while  she  leaned  dependently  on  his  arm  for 
support. 

The  shallow  honesty,  as  well  as  the  besetting  mfir 
of  Weucha,  have  already  been  exhibited.     The  readei 
therefore,  will  not  be  surprised  to  learn  that  he  was  tt 
first  to  forget  the  regulations  he  had  himself  impose 
was  at  the  precise  moment  when  we  left  Mahtoree  yieldir 
to  his  nearly  ungovernable  delight,  as  he  surveyed 

55 


56  THE   PRAIRIE 

number  and  quality  of  Ishmael's  beasts  of  burden,  that  the 
man  he  had  selected  to  watch  his  captives,  chose  to  indulge 
in  the  malignant  pleasure  of  tormenting  those  it  was  his 
duty  to  protect.  Bending  his  head  nigh  the  ear  of  the 
trapper,  the  savage  rather  muttered  than  whispered : 

"If  the  Tetons  lose  their  great  chief  by  the  hands  of  the 
Long-knives,1  old  shall  die  as  well  as  young!" 

"Life  is  the  gift  of  the  Wahcondah,"  was  the  unmoved 
reply.  "The  burnt-wood  warrior  must  submit  to  his  laws, 
as  well  as  his  other  children.  Men  only  die  when  He 
chooses ;  and  no  Dahcotah  can  change  the  hour. ' ' 

"Look!"  returned  the  savage,  thrusting  the  blade  of  his 
knife  before  the  face  of  his  captive.  "Weucha  is  the 
Wahcondah  of  a  dog." 

The  old  man  raised  his  eyes  to  the  fierce  visage  of  his 
keeper,  and,  for  a  moment,  a  gleam  of  honest  and  powerful 
disgust  shot  from  their  deep  cells;  but  it  instantly  passed 
away,  leaving  in  its  place  an  expression  of  commiseration, 
if  not  of  sorrow. 

"Why  should  one  made  in  the  real  image  of  God  suffer 
his  natur'  to  be  provoked  by  a  mere  effigy  of  reason?"  he 
said  in  English,  and  in  tones  much  louder  than  those  in 
which  Weucha  had  chosen  to  pitch  the  conversation.  The 
latter  profited  by  the  unintentional  offense  of  his  captive, 
and,  seizing  him  by  the  thin,  gray  locks,  that  fell  from 
beneath  his  cap,  was  on  the  point  of  passing  the  blade  of 
his  knife  in  malignant  triumph  around  their  roots,  when 
a  long,  shrill  yell  rent  the  air,  and  was  instantly  echoed 
from  the  surrounding  waste,  as  if  a  thousand  demons 
opened  their  throats  in  common  at  the  summons.  Weucha 
relinquished  his  grasp,  and  uttered  a  cry  of  exultation. 

"Now!"  shouted  Paul,  unable  to  control  his  impatience 
any  longer,  "now,  old  Ishmael,  is  the  time  to  show  the 
native  blood  of  Kentucky!  Fire  low,  boys — level  into  the 
swales,  for  the  red-skins  are  settling  to  the  very  earth!" 

His  voice  was,  however,  lost,  or  rather  unheeded,  in  the 
midst  of  the  shrieks,  shouts,  and  yells  that  were,  by  this 
time,  bursting  from  fifty  mouths  on  every  side  of  him. 
The  guards  still  maintained  their  posts  at  the  side  of  the 

1  The  whites  are  so  called  by  the  Indians,  from  their  swords. 


THE  PRAIRIE  57 

captives,  but  it  was  with  that  sort  of  difficulty  with  which 
steeds  are  restrained  at  the  starting-post,  when  expecting 
the  signal  to  commence  the  trial  of  speed.  They  tossed 
their  arms  wildly  in  the  air,  leaping  up  and  down  more 
like  exulting  children  than  sober  men,  and  continued  to 
utter  the  most  frantic  cries. 

In  the  midst  of  this  tumultuous  disorder  a  rushing  sound 
was  heard,  similar  to  that  which  might  be  expected  to 
precede  the  passage  of  a  flight  of  buffaloes,  and  then  came 
the  flocks  and  cattle  of  Ishmael  in  one  confused  and  fright 
ened  drove. 

"They  have  robbed  the  squatter  of  his  beasts!"  said  the 
attentive  trapper.  '  'The  reptiles  have  left  him  as  hoofless 
as  a  beaver ! "  He  was  yet  speaking,  when  the  whole  body 
of  the  terrified  animals  rose  the  little  acclivity,  and  swept 
by  the  place  where  he  stood,  followed  by  a  band  of  dusky 
and  demon-like  looking  figures,  who  pressed  madly  on 
their  rear. 

The  impulse  was  communicated  to  the  Teton  horses, 
long  accustomed  to  sympathize  in  the  untutored  passions 
of  their  owners,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  the  keepers 
were  enabled  to  restrain  their  patience.  At  this  moment, 
when  all  eyes  were  directed  to  the  passing  whirlwind  of 
men  and  beasts,  the  trapper  caught  the  knife  from  the 
hands  of  his  inattentive  keeper,  with  a  power  that  his  age 
would  have  seemed  to  contradict,  and,  at  a  single  blow, 
severed  the  thong  of  hide  which  connected  the  whole  of 
the  drove.  The  wild  animals  snorted  with  joy  and  terror, 
and  tearing  the  earth  with  their  heels,  they  dashed  away 
into  the  broad  prairies,  in  a  dozen  different  directions. 

Weucha  turned  upon  his  assailant  with  the  ferocity  and 
agility  of  a  tiger.  He  felt  for  the  weapon  of  which  he  had 
been  so  suddenly  deprived,  fumbled  with  impotent  haste 
for  the  handle  of  his  tomahawk,  and  at  the  same  moment 
glanced  his  eyes  after  the  flying  cattle,  with  the  longings 
of  a  Western  Indian.  The  struggle  between  thirst  for 
vengeance  and  cupidity  was  severe  but  short.  The  latter 
quickly  predominated  in  the  bosom  of  one  whose  passions 
were  proverbially  groveling;  and  scarcely  a  moment  inter 
vened  between  the  flight  of  the  animals  and  the  swift  pur 
suit  of  the  guards.  The  trapper  had  continued  calmly 


58  THE   PRAIRIE 

facing  his  foe,  during  the  instant  of  suspense  that  succeeded 
his  hardy  act;  and  now  that  Weucha  was  seen  following 
his  companions,  he  pointed  after  the  dark  train,  saying, 
with  his  deep  and  nearly  inaudible  laugh: 

"Red  natur'  is  red  natur',  let  it  show  itself  on  a  prairie 
or  in  a  forest !  A  knock  on  the  head  would  be  the  smallest 
reward  to  him  who  would  take  such  a  liberty  with  a 
Christian  sentinel;  but  there  goes  the  Teton  after  his 
horses  as  if  he  thought  two  legs  as  good  as  four  in  such  a 
race!  And  yet  the  imps  will  have  every  hoof  of  them 
afore  the  day  sets  in,  because  it's  reason  agin  instinct. 
Poor  reason,  I  allow;  but  still  there  is  a  great  deal  of  the 
man  in  the  Indian.  Ah's  me!  your  Delawares  were  the 
red-skins  of  which  America  might  boast;  but  few  and 
scattered  is  that  mighty  people,  now!  Well!  the  traveler 
may  just  make  his  pitch  where  he  is;  he  has  plenty  of 
water,  though  natur'  has  cheated  him  of  the  pleasure  of 
stripping  the  'arth  of  its  lawful  trees.  He  has  seen  the 
last  of  his  four-footed  creatures,  or  I  am  but  little  skilled 
in  Sioux  cunning." 

"Had  we  not  better  join  the  party  of  Ishmael?"  said 
the  bee-hunter.  "There  will  be  a  regular  fight  about  this 
matter,  or  the  old  fellow  has  suddenly  grown  chicken- 
hearted." 

"No,  no,  no,"  hastily  exclaimed  Ellen. 

She  was  stopped  by  the  trapper,  who  laid  his  hand  gently 
on  her  mouth,  as  he  answered : 

"Hist! — hist!  the  sound  of  voices  might  bring  us  into 
danger.  Is  your  friend,"  he  added,  turning  to  Paul,  "a 
man  of  spirit  enough?" 

"Don't  call  the  squatter  a  friend  of  mine!"  interrupted 
the  youth.  "I  never  yet  harbored  with  one  who  could  not 
show  hand  and  seal  for  the  land  which  fed  him." 

"Well — well.  Let  it  then  be  acquaintance.  Is  he  a  man 
to  maintain  his  own,  stoutly,  by  dint  of  powder  and  lead?" 

"His  own!  ay,  and  that  which  is  not  his  own,  too  ! 
Can  you  tell  me,  old  trapper,  who  held  the  rifle  that  did  the 
deed  for  the  sheriff's  deputy,  that  thought  to  rout  the  un 
lawful  settlers  who  had  gathered  nigh  the  Buffalo  Lick  in 
old  Kentucky?  I  had  lined  a  beautiful  swarm  that  very 
day  into  the  hollow  of  a  dead  beech,  and  there  lay  the  peo- 


THE  PRAIRIE  59 

pie's  officer  at  its  roots,  with  a  hole  directly  through  the 
'grace  of  God'  which  he  carried  in  his  jacket  pocket  cov 
ering  his  heart,  as  if  he  thought  a  bit  of  sheepskin  was  a 
breastplate  against  a  squatter's  bullet!  Now,  Ellen,  you 
needn't  be  troubled;  for  it  never  strictly  was  brought 
home  to  him;  and  there  were  fifty  others  who  had  pitched 
in  that  neighborhood  with  just  the  same  authority  from 
the  law." 

The  poor  girl  shuddered,  struggling  powerfully  to  sup 
press  the  sigh  which  arose  in  spite  of  her  efforts,  as  if  from 
the  very  bottom  of  her  heart. 

Thoroughly  satisfied  that  he  understood  the  character  of 
the  emigrants,  by  the  short  but  comprehensive  description 
conveyed  in  Paul's  reply,  the  old  man  raised  no  further 
question  concerning  the  readiness  of  Ishmael  to  revenge 
his  wrongs,  but  rather  followed  the  train  of  thought  which 
was  suggested  to  his  experience,  by  the  occasion. 

"Each  one  knows  the  ties  which  bind  him  to  his  fellow 
creatures  best,"  he  answered.  "Though  it  is  greatly  to 
be  mourned  that  color,  and  property,  and  tongue,  and 
I'arning  should  make  so  wide  a  difference  in  those  who, 
after  all,  are  but  the  children  of  one  father!  Howsom- 
ever, "  he  continued,  by  a  transition  not  a  little  character 
istic  of  the  pursuits  and  feelings  of  the  man,  "as  this  is 
a  business  in  which  there  is  much  more  likelihood  of  a 
fight  than  need  for  a  sermon,  it  is  best  to  be  prepared  for 
what  may  follow.  Hush!  there  is  a  movement  below;  it 
is  an  equal  chance  that  we  are  seen." 

"The  family  is  stirring,"  cried  Ellen,  with  a  tremor 
that  announced  nearly  as  much  terror  at  the  approach  of 
her  friends,  as  she  had  before  manifested  at  the  presence 
of  her  enemies.  "Go,  Paul,  leave  me.  You,  at  least, 
must  not  be  seen!" 

"If  I  leave  you,  Ellen,  in  this  desert,  before  ] 
safe  in  the  care  of  Ishmael  at  least,  may  I  never  hear  1 
hum  of  another  bee,  or  what  is  worse,  fail  in  sight  1 
him  to  his  hive!" 

"You  forget  this  good  old  man.  He  will  not  leave  r 
Though  I  am  sure,  Paul,  we  have  parted  before,  wn« 
there  has  been  more  of  a  desert  than  this." 

"Never!     These  Indians  may  come  whooping  bacK,  ai 


60  THE   PRAIRIE 

then  where  are  you !  Half-way  to  the  Rocky  Mountains 
before  a  man  can  fairly  strike  the  line  of  your  flight.  What 
think  you,  old  trapper?  How  long  may  it  be  before  these 
Tetons,  as  you  call  them,  will  be  coming  for  the  rest  of  old 
Ishmael's  goods  and  chattels?" 

"No  fear  of  them,"  returned  the  old  man,  laughing  in 
his  own  peculiar  and  silent  manner;  "I  warrant  me  the 
devils  will  be  scampering  after  their  beasts  these  six  hours 
yet!  Listen!  you  may  hear  them  in  the  willow  bottoms 
at  this  very  moment;  ay,  your  real  Sioux  cattle  will  run 
like  so  many  long-legged  elks.  Hist!  crouch  again  into 
the  grass;  down  with  ye  both;  as  I'm  a  miserable  piece  of 
clay,  I  heard  the  clicking  of  a  gun-lock!" 

The  trapper  did  not  allow  his  companions  time  to  hesi 
tate,  but  dragging  them  both  after  him,  he  nearly  buried 
his  own  person  in  the  fog  of  the  prairie,  while  he  was 
speaking.  It  was  fortunate  that  the  senses  of  the  aged 
hunter  remained  so  acute,  and  that  he  had  lost  none  of  his 
readiness  of  action.  The  three  were  scarcely  bowed  to  the 
ground,  when  their  ears  were  saluted  with  the  well-known, 
sharp,  short  reports  of  the  western  rifle,  and  instantly  the 
whizzing  of  the  ragged  lead  was  heard,  buzzing  within 
dangerous  proximity  of  their  heads. 

"Well  done,  young  chips!  well  done,  old  block!"  whis 
pered  Paul,  whose  spirits  no  danger  nor  situation  could 
entirely  depress.  '  'As  pretty  a  volley  as  one  would  wish  to 
hear  on  the  wrong  end  of  a  rifle !  What  d'ye  say,  trapper? 
here  is  likely  to  be  a  three-cornered  war.  Shall  I  give'em 
as  good  as  they  send?" 

"Give  them  nothing  but  fair  words,"  returned  the  other 
hastily,  "or  you  are  both  lost." 

"I'm  not  certain  it  would  much  mend  the  matter,  if  I 
were  to  speak  with  my  tongue  instead  of  the  piece,"  said 
Paul,  in  a  tone  half  jocular,  half  bitter. 

"For  the  sake  of  heaven,  do  not  let  them  hear  you!" 
cried  Ellen.  "Go  Paul,  go;  you  can  easily  quit  us  now!" 

Several  shots  in  quick  succession,  each  sending  its  dan 
gerous  messenger  still  nearer  than  the  preceding  discharge, 
cut  short  her  speech,  no  less  in  prudence  than  in  terror. 

"This  must  end,"  said  the  trapper,  rising  with  the  dig 
nity  of  one  bent  only  on  the  importance  of  his  object.  "I 


THE   PRAIRIE  61 

know  not  what  need  ye  may  have,  children,  to  fear  those 
you  should  both  love  and  honor,  but  something  must  be 
done  to  save  your  lives.  A  few  hours  more  or  less  can 
never  be  missed  from  the  time  of  one  who  has  already 
numbered  so  many  days;  therefore,  I  will  advance.  Here 
is  a  clear  space  around  you.  Profit  by  it  as  you  need, 
and  may  God  bless  and  prosper  each  of  you,  as  ye  de 
serve.  ' ' 

Without  waiting  for  any  reply,  the  trapper  walked  boldly 
down  the  declivity  in  his  front,  taking  the  direction  of 
the  encampment,  neither  quickening  his  pace  in  trepida 
tion,  nor  suffering  it  to  be  retarded  by  fear.  The  light 
of  the  moon  fell  brighter  for  a  moment  on  his  tall,  gaunt 
form,  and  served  to  warn  the  emigrants  of  his  approach. 
Indifferent,  however,  to  this  unfavorable  circumstance, 
he  held  his  way  silently  and  steadily  towards  the  copse, 
until  a  threatening  voice  met  him  with  the  challenge 
of— 

"Who  comes;  friend  or  foe?" 

"Friend,"  was  the  reply;  "one  who  has  lived  too  long 
to  disturb  the  close  of  life  with  quarrels." 

"But  not  so  long  as  to  forget  the  tricks  of  his  youth," 
said  Ishmael,  rearing  his  huge  frame  from  beneath  the 
slight  covering  of  a  low  bush,  and  meeting  the  trapper 
face  to  face;  "old  man,  you  have  brought  this  tribe  of  red 
devils  upon  us,  and  to-morrow  you  will  be  sharing  the 
booty." 

"What  have  you  lost?"  calmly  demanded  the  trappei 

"Eight  as  good  mares  as  ever  traveled  in  gears,  besides 
a  foal  that  is  worth  thirty  of  the  brightest  Mexicans  that 
bear  the  face  of  the  King  of  Spain.    Then  the  woman  has 
not  a  cloven  hoof  for  her  dairy  or  her  loom,  and  1 
even  the  grunters,  foot-sore  as  they  be,  are  ploughing 
prairie.     And  now,  stranger,"   he  added,  dropping 
butt  of  his  rifle  on  the  hard  earth,  with  a  violence  and  , 
clatter  that  would  have  intimidated  one  less  firm  t 
man  he  addressed,  "how  many  of  these  creatures  may  f 

to  your  lot?" 

"Horses  have  I  never  craved,   nor  even  used;  th 
few  have  journeyed  over  more  of  the  wide  lands of 'A .me, 
than  myself,  old  and  feeble  as  I  seem.     But  little  u* 


62  THE   PRAIRIE 

there  for  a  horse  among  the  hills  and  woods  of  York — that 
is,  as  York  was,  but  as  I  greatly  fear  York  is  no  longer; 
as  for  woolen  covering  and  cow's  milk,  I  covet  no  such 
womanly  fashions!  The  beasts  of  the  field  give  me  food 
and  raiment.  No,  I  crave  no  cloth  better  than  the  skin  of 
a  deer,  nor  any  meat  richer  than  his  flesh." 

The  sincere  manner  of  the  trapper,  as  he  uttered  this 
simple  vindication,  was  not  entirely  thrown  away  on  the 
emigrant,  whose  dull  nature  was  gradually  quickening 
into  a  flame  that  might  speedily  have  burst  forth  with 
dangerous  violence.  He  listened  like  one  who  doubted, 
though  not  entirely  convinced;  and  he  muttered  between 
his  teeth  the  denunciation,  with  which  a  moment  before 
he  intended  to  precede  the  summary  vengeance  he  had 
certainly  meditated. 

"This  is  brave  talking,"  he  at  length  grumbled;  "but, 
to  my  judgment,  too  lawyer-like,  for  a  straight-forward, 
fair-weather  and  foul-weather  hunter." 

"I  claim  to  be  no  better  than  a  trapper, "  the  other 
meekly  answered. 

"Hunter  or  trapper,  there  is  little  difference.  I  have 
come,  old  man,  into  these  districts,  because  I  found  the 
law  sitting  too  tight  upon  me,  and  I  am  not  over  fond  of 
neighbors  who  can't  settle  a  dispute  without  troubling  a 
justice  and  twelve  men;  but  I  didn't  come  to  be  robbed 
of  my  plunder,  and  then  to  say  thankee  to  the  man  who 
did  it!" 

"He  who  ventures  far  into  the  prairie  must  abide  by 
the  ways  of  its  owners." 

"Owners!"  echoed  the  squatter,  "I  am  as  rightful  an 
owner  of  the  land  I  stand  on  as  any  governor  of  the  States ! 
Can  you  tell  me,  stranger,  where  the  law  or  the  reason  is 
to  be  found,  which  says  that  one  man  shall  have  a  section, 
or  a  town,  or  perhaps  a  county  to  his  use,  and  another 
have  to  beg  for  earth  to  make  his  grave  in?  This  is  not 
nature,  and  I  deny  that  it  is  law.  That  is,  your  legal 
law." 

"I  cannot  say  that  you  are  wrong,"  returned  the  trap 
per,  whose  opinions  on  this  important  topic,  though  drawn 
from  very  different  premises,  were  in  singular  accordance 
with  those  of  his  companion,  "and  I  have  often  thought 


THE   PRAIRIE  63 

and  said  as  much,  when  and  where  I  have  believed  my 
voice  could  be  heard.  But  your  beasts  are  stolen  by 
them  who  claim  to  be  masters  of  all  they  find  in  the 
deserts. ' ' 

"They  had  better  not  dispute  that  matter  with  a  man 
who  knows  better,"  said  the  other  in  a  portentous  voice, 
though  it  seemed  deep  and  sluggish  as  he  spoke.  "I  call 
myself  a  fair  trader,  and  one  who  gives  to  his  chaps  as 
good  as  he  receives.  You  saw  the  Indians?" 

"I  did;  they  held  me  a  prisoner,  while  they  stole  into 
your  camp." 

"It  would  have  been  more  like  a  white  man  and  a  Chris 
tian,  to  have  let  me  known  as  much  in  better  season," 
retorted  Ishmael,  casting  another  ominous  sidelong  glance 
at  the  trapper,  as  if  still  meditating  evil.  "I  am  not  much 
given  to  call  every  man  I  fall  in  with  cousin,  but  color 
should  be  something,  when  Christians  meet  in  such  a  place 
as  this.  But  what  is  done,  is  done,  and  cannot  be  mended 
by  words.  Come  out  of  your  ambush,  boys;  here  is  no 
one  but  the  old  man;  he  has  eaten  of  my  bread,  and  should 
be  our  friend;  though  there  is  such  good  reason  to  sus 
pect  him  of  harboring  with  our  enemies." 

The  trapper  made  no  reply  to  the  harsh  suspicion  which 
the  other  did  not  scruple  to  utter  without  the  smallest 
delicacy,  notwithstanding  the  explanations  and  denials 
which  he  had  just  listened.  The  summons  of  the  unnurfr 
squatter  brought  an  immediate  accession  to  their  party. 
Four  or  five  of  his  sons  made  their  appearance  from 
neath  as  many  covers,  where  they  had  been  posted,  u 
the  impression  that  the  figures  they  had  seen,  on  tl 
of  the  prairie,  were  a  part  of  the  Sioux  band.     As  each 
man  approached,  and  dropped  his  rifle  into  the  hollow  o 
his  arm,  he  cast  an  indolent  but  inquiring  glance 
stranger,  though  none  of  them  expressed  the  least  cunos. 
to  know  whence  he  had  come  or  why  he  was  there, 
forbearance,  however,  proceeded  only  in  par 
sluggishness  of  their  common  temper;  for  long 
quent   experience  in  scenes  of  a  similar  characte 
tSt  them  the  virtue  of  discretion.  The  trapper  endured 
thefr  suHen  scru  iny  with  the  steadiness  of  one  as  prac- 
fsed  i  themselves,  and  with  the  entire  composure  of  ,n- 


64  THE   PRAIRIE 

nocence.  Content  with  the  momentary  examination  he  had 
made,  the  eldest  of  the  group,  who  was  in  truth  the  de 
linquent  sentinel  by  whose  remissness  the  wily  Mahtoree 
had  so  well  profited,  turned  towards  his  father,  and  said 
bluntly : 

"If  this  man  is  all  that  is  left  of  the  party  I  saw  on  the 
upland,  yonder,  we  haven't  altogether  thrown  away  our 
ammunition." 

"Asa,  you  are  right,"  said  the  father,  turning  suddenly 
on  the  trapper,  a  lost  idea  being  recalled  by  the  hint  of 
his  son.  "How  is  it  stranger;  there  were  three  of  you, 
just  now,  or  there  is  no  virtue  in  moonlight!" 

"If  you  had  seen  the  Tetons  racing  across  the  prairies, 
like  so  many  black-looking  evil  ones,  on  the  heels  of  your 
cattle,  my  friend,  it  would  have  been  an  easy  matter  to 
have  fancied  them  a  thousand." 

"Ay,  for  a  town-bred  boy  or  a  skeary  woman;  though, 
for  that  matter,  there  is  old  Esther;  she  has  no  more  fear 
of  a  red-skin  than  of  a  suckling  cub  or  of  a  wolf  pup.  I'll 
warrant  ye,  had  your  thievish  devils  made  their  push  by 
the  light  of  the  sun,  the  good  woman  would  have  been 
smartly  at  work  among  them,  and  the  Sioux  would  have 
found  she  was  not  given  to  part  with  her  cheese  and  her 
butter  without  a  price.  But  there'll  come  a  time,  stranger, 
right  soon,  when  justice  will  have  its  dues,  and  that,  too, 
without  the  help  of  what  is  called  the  law.  We  ar'  of  a 
slow  breed,  it  may  be  said,  and  it  is  often  said  of  us;  but 
slow  is  sure;  and  there  ar'  few  men  living  who  can  say 
they  ever  struck  a  blow  that  they  did  not  get  one  as  hard 
in  return  from  Ishmael  Bush. ' ' 

"Then  has  Ishmael  Bush  followed  the  instinct  of  the 
beasts,  rather  than  the  principle  which  ought  to  belong  to 
his  kind, ' '  returned  the  stubborn  trapper.  "I  have  struck 
many  a  blow  myself,  but  never  have  I  felt  the  same  ease 
of  mind  that  of  right  belongs  to  a  man  who  follows  his 
reason,  after  slaying  even  a  fawn,  when  there  was  no  call 
for  his  meat  or  hide,  as  I  have  felt  at  leaving  a  Mingo 
unburied  in  the  woods,  when  following  the  trade  of  open 
and  honest  warfare. ' ' 

"What,  you  have  been  a  soldier,  have  you  trapper!  I 
made  a  forage  or  two  among  the  Cherokees,  when  I  was  a 


THE   PRAIRIE  Go 

lad,  myself;  and  I  followed  Mad  Anthony,1  one  season, 
through  the  beeches;  but  there  was  altogether  too  much 
tattooing  and  regulating  among  his  troops  for  me;  so  I 
left  him,  without  calling  on  the  paymaster  to  settle  my  ar 
rearages.  Though,  as  Esther  afterwards  boasted,  she  had 
made  such  use  of  the  pay-ticket,  that  the  States  gained 
no  great  sum  by  the  oversight.  You  have  heard  of  such  a 
man  as  Mad  Anthony,  if  you  tarried  long  among  the 
soldiers." 

"I  fou't  my  last  battle,  as  I  hope,  under  his  orders," 
returned  the  trapper,  a  gleam  of  sunshine  shooting  from 
nis  dim  eyes,  as  if  the  event  was  recollected  with  pleasure, 
^nd  then  a  sudden  shade  of  sorrow  succeeding,  as  though 
•ie  felt  a  secret  admonition  against  dwelling  on  the  violent 
scenes  in  which  he  had  so  often  been  an  actor.  "I  was 
passing  from  the  States  on  the  sea-shore  into  these  far 
regions,  when  I  crossed  the  trail  of  his  army,  and  I  fell 
in,  on  his  rear,  just  as  a  looker-on;  but  when  they  got  to 
blows,  the  crack  of  my  rifle  was  heard  among  the  rest, 
though  to  my  shame  it  may  be  said  I  never  knew  the  right 
of  the  quarrel,  as  well  as  a  man  of  threescore  and  ti-n 
should  know  the  reason  of  his  acts  afore  he  takes  mortal 
life,  which  is  a  gift  he  never  can  return!" 

"Come,  stranger,"  said  the  emigrant,  his  rugged  nature 
a  good  deal  softened  when  he  found  that  they  had  fought 
on  the  same  side  in  the  wild  warfare  of  the  West,  "it  is  of 
small  account  what  may  be  the  groundwork  of  the  < 
turbance,  when  it's  a  Christian  agin  a  savage.     We 
hear  more  of  this  horse-stealing  to-morrow  ^to-night  we 
can  do  no  wiser  or  safer  thing  than  to  sleep." 

So  saying,  Ishmael  deliberately  led  the  way  back  toward! 
his  rifled  encampment,  and  ushered  the  man,  whose 
few  minutes  before  had  been  in  real  jeopardy  I 
resentment,  into  the  presence  of  his  family 
a  very  few  words  of  explanation,  mingled  with  scare 
ominous  denunciations  against  the  plunderers,  he  ma< 
wife  acquainted  with  the  state  of  things  onjtl 

and  subsequently  against  th*  Indian*,^  titteof  ^ad^Anth.my^Grneral  Wayne 
regiment  which  excited  his  military  ardor. 

5 


66  THE   PRAIRIE 

and  announced  his  own  determination  to  compensate  him 
self  for  his  broken  rest,  by  devoting  the  remainder  of  the 
night  to  sleep. 

The  trapper  gave  his  ready  assent  to  the  measure,  and 
adjusted  his  gaunt  form  on  the  pile  of  brush  that  was 
offered  him,  with  as  much  composure  as  a  sovereign  could 
resign  himself  to  sleep,  in  the  security  of  his  capital,  and 
surrounded  by  his  armed  protectors.  The  old  man  did  not 
close  his  eyes,  however,  until  he  had  assured  himself  that 
Ellen  Wade  was  among  the  females  of  the  family,  and  that 
her  relation  or  lover,  whichever  he  might  be,  had  observed 
the  caution  of  keeping  himself  out  of  view;  after  which 
he  slept,  though  with  the  peculiar  watchfulness  of  one  long 
accustomed  to  vigilance,  even  in  the  hours  of  deepest 
night. 


CHAPTER  VI 

"He  is  too  picked,  too  spruce,  too  affected,  too  odd, 
As  it  were  too  peregrinate,  as  I  may  call  it.  " 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  Anglo-American  is  apt  to  boast,  and  not  without 
reason,  that  his  nation  may  claim  a  descent  more  truly 
honorable  than  that  of  any  other  people  whose  history  is 
to  be  credited.     Whatever  might  have  been  the  weaknesses 
of  the  original  colonists,  their  virtues  have  rarely  been 
disputed.    If  they  were  superstitious,  they  were  sincerely 
pious,    and,    consequently,   honest.     The  descendants  of 
these  simple  and  single-minded  provincials  have  been  con 
tent  to  reject  the  ordinary  and  artificial  means  by  which 
honors  have  been  perpetuated  in  families,  and  have  sub 
stituted  a  standard  which  brings  the  individual  himself  to 
the  ordeal  of  the  public  estimation,  paying  as  little  defer 
ence  as  may  be  to  those  who  have  gone  before  him.     This 
forbearance,  self-denial,  or  common  sense,  or  by  whatever 
term  it  may  be  thought  proper  to  distinguish  the  measure, 
has  subjected  the  nation  to  the  imputation  of  having  an 
ignoble  origin.     Were  it  worth  the  inquiry,  it  would  be 
found  that  more  than  a  just  proportion  of  the  renowned 
names  of  the  mother-country  are,  at  this  hour,  to  be  found 
in  her  c:devant  colonies;  and  it  is  a  fact  well  known  to 
the  few  who  have  wasted  sufficient  time  to  become  the 
masters  of  so  unimportant  a  subject,  that  the  direct  de 
scendants  of  many  a  failing  line,  which  the  policy  nf  Eng 
land  has  seen  fit  to  sustain  by  collateral  supporters,  are 
now  discharging  the  simple  duties  of  citizens  in  the  bosom 
of  this  republic.     The  hive  has  remained  stationary,  and 
they  who  flutter  around  the  venerable  straw  are  wont  to 
claim  the  empty  distinction  of  antiquity,  regardless  alike 
of  the  frailty  of  their  tenement,  and  of  the  enjoyments 
the  numerous  and  vigorous  swarms  that  are  culling 
fresher  sweets  of  a  virgin  world.    But  as  this  is  a  subject 

67 


68  THE   PRAIRIE 

which  belongs  rather  to  the  politician  and  historian  than 
to  the  humble  narrator  of  the  home-bred  incidents  we  are 
about  to  reveal,  we  must  confine  our  reflections  to  such 
matters  as  have  an  immediate  relation  to  the  subject  of 
the  tale. 

Although  the  citizen  of  the  United  States  may  claim  so 
just  an  ancestry,  he  is  far  from  being  exempt  from  the 
penalties  of  his  fallen  race.  Like  causes  are  well  known 
to  produce  like  effects.  That  tribute,  which  it  would  seem 
nations  must  ever  pay,  by  way  of  a  weary  probation, 
around  the  shrine  of  Ceres,  before  they  can  be  indulged 
in  her  fullest  favors,  is  in  some  measure  exacted  in  Amer 
ica,  from  the  descendants  instead  of  the  ancestor.  The 
march  of  civilization  with  us,  has  a  strong  analogy  to  that 
of  all  coming  events,  which  are  known  "to  cast  their 
shadows  before."  The  gradations  of  society,  from  that 
state  which  is  called  refined  to  that  which  approaches  as 
near  barbarity  as  connection  with  an  intelligent  people 
will  readily  allow,  are  to  be  traced  from  the  bosom  of  the 
States  where  wealth,  luxury,  and  the  arts  are  beginning 
to  seat  themselves,  to  those  distant  and  ever-receding 
borders  which  mark  the  skirts  and  announce  the  approach 
of  the  nation,  as  moving  mists  precede  the  signs  of  the 
day. 

Here,  and  here  only,  is  to  be  found  that  widely  spread, 
though  far  from  numerous  class,  which  may  be  at  all  lik 
ened  to  those  who  have  paved  the  way  for  the  intellectual 
progress  of  nations,  in  the  Old  World.  The  resemblance 
between  the  American  borderer  and  his  European  proto 
type  is  singular,  though  not  always  uniform.  Both  might 
be  called  without  restraint,  the  one  being  above,  the  other 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  law — brave,  because  they  were 
inured  to  danger — proud,  because  they  were  independent 
- — and  vindictive,  because  each  was  the  avenger  of  his  own 
wrongs.  It  would  be  unjust  to  the  borderer  to  pursue  the 
parallel  much  further.  He  is  irreligious,  because  he  has 
inherited  the  knowledge  that  religion  does  not  exist  in 
forms,  and  his  reason  rejects  mockery.  He  is  not  a  knight, 
because  he  has  not  the  power  to  bestow  distinctions;  and 
he  has  not  the  power,  because  he  is  the  offspring  and  not 
the  parent  of  a  system.  In  what  manner  these  several 


THE  PRAIRIE  69 

qualities  are  exhibited,  in  some  of  the  most  strongly 
marked  of  the  latter  class,  will  be  seen  in  the  course  of 
the  ensuing  narrative. 

Ishmael  Bush  had  passed  the  whole  of  a  life  of  more 
than  fifty  years  on  the  skirts  of  society.  He  boasted  that 
he  had  never  dwelt  where  he  might  not  safely  fell  every 
tree  he  could  view  from  his  own  threshold;  that  the  law 
had  rarely  been  known  to  enter  his  clearing;  and  that  his 
ears  had  never  willingly  admitted  the  sound  of  a  chureh 
bell.  His  exertions  seldom  exceeded  his  wants,  which 
were  peculiar  to  his  class,  and  rarely  failed  of  being  sup 
plied.  He  had  no  respect  for  any  learning,  except  that 
of  the  leech;  because  he  was  ignorant  of  the  application 
of  any  other  intelligence  than  such  as  met  the  senses.  His 
deference  to  this  particular  branch  of  science  had  induced 
him  to  listen  to  the  application  of  a  medical  man,  whose 
thirst  for  natural  history  had  led  him  to  the  desire  of 
profiting  by  the  migratory  propensities  of  the  squatter. 
This  gentleman  he  had  cordially  received  into  his  family, 
or  rather  under  his  protection,  and  they  had  journeyed 
together  thus  far  through  the  prairies,  in  perfect  harmony; 
Ishmael  often  felicitating  his  wife  on  the  possession  of  a 
companion,  who  would  be  so  serviceable  in  their  new 
abode,  wherever  it  might  chance  to  be,  until  the  family 
were  thoroughly  "acclimated. "  The  pursuits  of  the  nat 
uralist  frequently  led  him,  however,  for  days  at  a  time, 
from  the  direct  line  of  the  route  of  the  squatter,  who 
rarely  seemed  to  have  any  other  guide  than  the  sun.  Most 
men  would  have  deemed  themselves  fortunate  to  have  been 
absent  on  the  perilous  occasion  of  the  Sioux  inroad,  as 
was  Obed  Bat  (or,  as  he  was  fond  of  hearing  himself 
called,  Battius),  M.  D.  and  fellow  of  several  cis-Atlantic 
learned  societies— the  adventurous  gentleman  in  quest 

Although  the  sluggish  nature  of  Ishmael  was  not  actually 
awakened,  it  was  sorely  pricked  by  the  liberties  which  had 
just  been  taken  with  his  property.    He  slept,  however,  R 
it  was  the  hour  he  had  allotted  to  that  refreshment,  a 
because  he  knew  how  impotent  any  exertions  to  n 
his  effects  must  prove  in  the  darkness  of  midnight.     » 
also  knew  the  danger  of  his  present  position  too  we  I 
hazard  what  was  left,  in  pursuit  of  that  which  was  lost. 


70  THE   PRAIRIE 

Much  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  prairie  were  known  to  love 
horses,  their  attachment  to  many  other  articles,  still  in 
the  possession  of  the  travelers,  was  equally  well  under 
stood.  It  was  a  common  artifice  to  scatter  the  herds  and 
to  profit  by  the  confusion.  But  Mahtoree  had,  as  it  would 
seem,  in  this  particular,  undervalued  the  acuteness  of  the 
man  he  had  assailed.  The  phlegm  with  which  the  squatter 
learned  his  loss,  has  already  been  seen;  and  it  now  remains 
to  exhibit  the  results  of  his  more  matured  determinations. 

Though  the  encampment  contained  many  an  eye  that 
was  long  unclosed,  and  many  an  ear  that  listened  greedily 
to  catch  the  faintest  evidence  of  any  new  alarm,  it  lay  in 
deep  quiet  during  the  remainder  of  the  night.  Silence 
and  fatigue  finally  performed  their  accustomed  offices,  and 
before  morning  all  but  the  sentinels  were  again  buried  in 
sleep.  How  well  these  indolent  watchers  discharged  their 
duties  after  the  assault  has  never  been  known,  inasmuch 
as  nothing  occurred  to  confirm  or  to  disprove  their  subse 
quent  vigilance. 

Just  as  day,  however,  began  to  dawn,  and  a  gray  light 
was  falling  from  the  heavens  on  the  dusky  objects  of  the 
plain,  the  half-startled,  anxious,  and  yet  blooming  coun 
tenance  of  Ellen  Wade  was  reared  above  the  confused  mass 
of  children,  among  whom  she  had  clustered  on  her  stolen 
return  to  camp.  Arising  warily,  she  stepped  lightly 
across  the  recumbent  bodies,  and  proceeded  with  the  same 
caution  to  the  utmost  limits  of  the  defenses  of  Ishmael. 
Here  she  listened,  as  if  doubting  the  propriety  of  ventur 
ing  further.  The  pause  was  only  momentary,  however; 
and  long  before  the  drowsy  eyes  of  the  sentinel,  who  over 
looked  the  spot  where  she  stood,  had  time  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  her  active  form,  it  had  glided  along  the  bottom, 
and  stood  on  the  summit  of  the  nearest  eminence. 

Ellen  now  listened,  intently  anxious  to  catch  some  other 
sound  than  the  breathings  of  the  morning  air,  which 
faintly  rustled  the  herbage  at  her  feet.  She  was  about  to 
turn  in  disappointment  from  the  inquiry,  when  the  tread 
of  human  feet  making  their  way  through  the  matted  grass, 
met  her  ear.  Springing  eagerly  forward,  she  soon  beheld 
the  outlines  of  a  figure  advancing  up  the  eminence,  on  the 
side  opposite  to  the  camp.  She  had  already  uttered  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  71 

name  of  Paul,  and  was  beginning  to  speak  in  the  hurried 
and  eager  voice  with  which  female  affection  is  apt  to 
greet  a  friend,  when,  drawing  back,  the  disappointed  girl 
closed  her  salutation  by  coldly  adding: 

"I  did  not  expect,  Doctor,  to  meet  you  at  this  unusual 
hour." 

"All  hours  and  all  seasons  are  alike,  my  good  Ellen,  to 
the  genuine  lover  of  nature,"  returned  a  small,  slightly 
made,  but  exceedingly  active  man,  dressed  in  an  odd  mix 
ture  of  cloth  and  skins,  a  little  past  the  middle  age,  and 
who  advanced  directly  to  her  side,  with  the  familiarity  of 
an  old  acquaintance;  "and  he  who  does  not  know  how  to 
find  things  to  admire  by  this  gray  light,  is  ignorant  of  a 
large  portion  of  the  blessings  he  enjoys." 

"Very  true, "  said  Ellen,  suddenly  recollecting  the  neces 
sity  of  accounting  for  her  own  appearance  abroad  at  th  t 
unseasonable  hour;  "I  know  many  who  think  the  earth 
has  a  pleasanter  look  in  the  night,  than  when  seen  by  the 
brightest  sunshine." 

"Ah!  Their  organs  of  sight  must  be  too  convex!  But 
the  man  who  wishes  to  study  the  active  habits  of  the  fe 
line  race,  or  the  variety  albinos,  must  indeed  be  stirring 
at  this  hour.  I  dare  say  there  are  men  who  prefer  even 
looking  at  objects  by  twilight,  for  the  simple  reason  that 
they  see  better  at  that  time  of  the  day." 

"And  is  this  the  cause  why  you  are  so  much  abroad  in 

the  night?" 

"I  am  abroad  at  night,  my  good  girl,  because  the  eartl 
in  its  diurnal  revolutions  leaves  the  light  of  the  sun  but 
half  the  time  on  any  given  meridian,  and  because  what  J 
have  to  do  cannot  be  performed  in  twelve  or  fifteen  con- 
secutive  hours.     Now  have  I  been  off  two  days  from 
family,  in  search  of  a  plant  that  is  known  to  exisi 
tributaries  of  La  Platte,  without  seeing  even  a  blade  of 
grass  that  is  not  already  enumerated  and  classed.^ 
"You  have  been  unfortunate,  Doctor,  but- 
"Unfortunate!"  echoed  the  little  man,  sidling  n.gher 
to  his  companion,  and  producing  to^^*««g» 
which  exultation  struggled  strangely  with  an  affectation 
of  self-abasement.     "No,  no,  Ellen,  I  am  Anything  but 
unfortunate!     Unless,  indeed,  a  man  may  be  so  called, 


72  THE   PRAIRIE 

whose  fortune  is  made,  whose  fame  may  be  said  to  be 
established  forever,  whose  name  will  go  down  to  posterity 
with  that  of  Buff  on.  Buff  on!  a  mere  compiler;  one  who 
flourishes  on  the  foundation  of  other  men's  labors.  No; 
pari  passu  with  Solander,  who  bought  his  knowledge 
with  pain  and  privations." 

"Have  you  discovered  a  mine,  Doctor  Bat?" 
"More  than  a  mine;  a  treasure  coined,  and  fit  for  in 
stant  use,  girl.  Listen !  I  was  making  the  angle  necessary 
to  intersect  the  line  of  your  uncle's  march,  after  my  fruit 
less  search,  when  I  heard  sounds  like  the  explosion  pro 
duced  by  fire-arms — 

'  'Yes, '  'exclaimed  Ellen,  eagerly, '  'we  had  an  alarm — 
"And  thought  I  was  lost, ' '  continued  the  man  of  science, 
too  much  bent  on  his  own  ideas  to  understand  her  inter 
ruption.  "Little  danger  of  that!  I  made  my  own  base, 
knew  the  length  of  the  perpendicular  by  calculation,  and 
to  draw  the  hypothenuse  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  work 
my  angle.  I  supposed  the  guns  were  fired  for  my  benefit, 
and  changed  my  course  for  the  sounds — not  that  I  think 
the  senses  more  accurate,  or  even  as  accurate  as  a  mathe 
matical  calculation,  but  I  feared  that  some  of  the  children 
might  need  my  services." 
"They  are  all  happily— 

"Listen,"  interrupted  the  other,  already  forgetting  his 
affected  anxiety  for  his  patients,  in  the  greater  importance 
of  the  present  subject.  "I  had  crossed  a  large  tract  of 
prairie — for  sound  is  conveyed  far  where  there  is  little 
obstruction— when  I  heard  the  trampling  of  feet,  as  if 
bisons  were  beating  the  earth.  Then  I  caught  a  distant 
view  of  a  herd  of  quadrupeds,  rushing  up  and  down  the 
swells,  animals  which  would  have  still  remained  unknown 
and  undescribed,  had  it  not  been  for  a  most  felicitous  ac 
cident!  One,  and  he  a  noble  specimen  of  the  whole!  was 
running  a  little  apart  from  the  rest.  The  herd  made  an 
inclination  in  my  direction,  in  which  the  solitary  animal 
coincided,  and  this  brought  him  within  fifty  yards  of  the 
spot  where  I  stood.  I  profited  by  the  opportunity,  and 
by  the  aid  of  steel  and  taper,  I  wrote  his  description  on 
the  spot.  I  would  have  given  a  thousand  dollars,  Ellen, 
for  a  single  shot  from  the  rifle  of  one  of  the  boys!" 


THE   PRAIRIE  73 

"You  carry  a  pistol,  Doctor;  why  didn't  you  use  it?" 
said  the  half  inattentive  girl,  anxiously  examining  the 
prairie,  but  still  lingering  where  she  stood,  quite  willing 
to  be  detained. 

"Ay,  but  it  carries  nothing  but  the  most  minute  par 
ticles  of  lead,  adapted  to  the  destruction  of  the  larger  in 
sects  and  reptiles.  No,  I  did  better  than  to  attempt  wag 
ing  a  war  in  which  I  could  not  be  the  victor.  I  recorded 
the  event;  noting  each  particular  with  the  precision  neces 
sary  to  science.  You  shall  hear,  Ellen;  for  you  are  a  good 
and  improving  girl,  and  by  retaining  what  you  learn  in 
this  way,  may  be  yet  of  great  service  to  learning,  should 
any  accident  occur  to  me.  Indeed,  my  worthy  Ellen,  mine 
is  a  pursuit  which  has  its  dangers  as  well  as  that  of  the 
warrior.  This  very  night,"  he  continued,  glancing  his 
eyes  behind  him,  "this  awful  night,  has  the  principle  of 
life  itself  been  in  great  danger  of  extinction!" 

"By  what?" 

"By  the  monster  I  have  discovered.  It  approached  me 
often,  and  ever  as  I  receded,  it  continued  to  advance.  I 
believe  nothing  but  the  little  lamp  I  carried  was  my  pro 
tector.  I  kept  it  between  us  whilst  I  wrote,  making  i 
serve  the  double  purpose  of  luminary  and  shield.  But  you 
shall  hear  the  character  of  the  beast,  and  you  may  then 
judge  of  the  risks  we  promoters  of  science  run  in  behalf 
of  mankind." 

The  naturalist  raised  his  tablets  to  the  heavens,  and 
disposed  himself  to  read  as  well  as  he  could  by  the  dim 
light  they  yet  shed  upon  the  plain,  premising  with  saying: 

"Listen,  girl,  and  you  shall  hear  with  what  a  treasure 
it  has  been  my  happy  lot  to  enrich  the  pages  of  nati 

"  "ItYis  then  a  creature  of  your  forming?"  said  Ellen, 
turning  away  from   her  fruitless  examination,   wil 
sudden  lighting  of  her  sprightly  blue  eyes,  that  show 
she  knew  how  to  play  with  the  foible  of  her  learned 

^"iTthe  power  to  give  life  to  inanimate  matter  the  gift 
of  man?  * would  it  were!  You  should  speedily  i  e  a 
Historia  Naturalis  Americana,  that  would  put  peer 
ing  imitators  of  the  Frenchman,  De  Buffon,  to  shame!  A 


74  THE   PRAIRIE 

great  improvement  might  be  made  in  the  formation  of  all 
quadrupeds;  especially  those  in  which  velocity  is  a  virtue. 
Two  of  the  inferior  limbs  should  be  on  the  principle  of 
the  lever ;  wheels  perhaps  as  they  are  now  formed ;  though 
I  have  not  yet  determined  whether  the  improvement  might 
better  be  applied  to  the  anterior  or  posterior  members, 
inasmuch  as  I  am  yet  to  learn  whether  dragging  or  shov 
ing  requires  the  greatest  muscular  exertion.  A  natural 
exudation  of  the  animal  might  assist  in  overcoming  the 
friction,  and  a  powerful  momentum  be  obtained.  But  all 
this  is  hopeless — at  least  for  the  present!"  he  added,  rais 
ing  his  tablets  again  to  the  light,  and  reading  aloud: 
"  'Oct.  6,  1805.'  That's  merely  the  date,  which  I  dare 
say  you  know  better  than  I.  'Mem.  Quadruped;  seen 
by  starlight,  and  by  the  aid  of  a  pocket-lamp,  in  the  prairies 
of  North  America  —  see  Journal  for  latitude  and  me 
ridian.  Genus,  unknown ;  therefore  named  after  the  dis 
coverer,  and  from  the  happy  coincidence  of  having  been 
seen  in  the  evening,  Vespertilio  horribilis  Americanus. 
Dimensions  (by  estimation):  greatest  length,  eleven  feet; 
height,  six  feet;  head,  erect;  nostrils,  expansive;  eyes, 
expressive  and  fierce;  teeth,  serrated  and  abundant;  tail, 
horizontal,  waving,  and  slightly  feline;  feet,  large  and 
hairy;  talons,  long,  curvated,  dangerous;  ears,  inconspic 
uous;  horns,  elongated,  diverging,  and  formidable;  color, 
plumbeous-ashy,  with  fiery  spots;  voice,  sonorous,  mar 
tial,  and  appalling;  habits,  gregarious,  carnivorous,  fierce 
and  fearless.'  There,"  exclaimed  Obed,  when  he  had 
ended  this  sententious  but  comprehensive  description, 
"there  is  an  animal  which  will  be  likely  to  dispute  with 
the  lion  his  title  to  be  called  the  king  of  beasts!" 

"I  know  not  the  meaning  of  all  you  have  said,  Doctor 
Battius, "  returned  the  quick-witted  girl,  who  understood 
the  weakness  of  the  philosopher,  and  often  indulged  him 
with  a  title  he  loved  so  well  to  hear;  "but  I  shall  think  it 
dangerous  to  venture  far  from  the  camp,  if  such  monsters 
are  prowling  over  the  prairies." 

"You  may  well  call  it  prowling, "  returned  the  natural 
ist,  nestling  still  closer  to  her  side,  and  dropping  his  voice 
to  such  low  and  undignified  tones  of  confidence,  as  con 
veyed  a  meaning  still  more  pointed  than  he  had  intended. 


THE  PRAIRIE  75 

"I  have  never  before  experienced  such  a  trial  of  the 
nervous  system;  there  was  a  moment,  I  acknowledge,  when 
the  fortiter  in  re  faltered  before  so  terrible  an  enemy;  but 
the  love  of  natural  science  bore  me  up,  and  brought  me 
off  in  triumph!" 

"You  speak  a  language  so  different  from  what  we  use 
in  Tennessee,"  said  Ellen,  struggling  to  conceal  her 
laughter,  "that  I  hardly  know  whether  I  understand  your 
meaning.  If  I  am  right,  you  wish  to  say  you  were 
chicken-hearted. ' ' 

"An  absurd  simile  drawn  from  the  ignorance  of  the  for 
mation  of  the  biped.  The  heart  of  a  chicken  has  a  just 
proportion  to  its  other  organs,  and  the  domestic  fowl  is, 
in  a  state  of  nature,  a  gallant  bird.  Ellen,"  he  added, 
with  a  countenance  so  solemn  as  to  produce  an  impression 
on  the  attentive  girl,  "I  was  pursued,  hunted,  and  in  a 
danger  that  I  scorn  to  dwell  on— what's  that?" 

Ellen  started;  for  the  earnestness  and  simple  sincerity 
of  her  companion's  manner  had  produced  a  certain  degree 
of  credulity,  even  on  her  buoyant  mind.  Looking  in  the 
direction  indicated  by  the  Doctor,  she  beheld,  in  fact,  a 
beast  coursing  over  the  prairie,  and  making  a  straight  and 
rapid  approach  to  the  spot  they  occupied.  The  day  was 
not  yet  sufficiently  advanced  to  enable  her  to  distinguish 
its  form  and  character,  though  enough  was  discernible  to 
induce  her  to  imagine  it  a  fierce  and  savage  animal. 

"It  comes!  it  comes!"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  fumbling, 
by  a  sort  of  instinct,  for  his  tablets,  while  he  fairy  tottered 
on  his  feet  under  the  powerful  efforts  he  made  to  maintain 
his  ground.  "Now,  Ellen,  has  fortune  given  me  an  oppor 
tunity  to  correct  the  errors  made  by  starlight — hold — ashy 
plumbeous — no  ears — horns  excessive."  His  voice  and 
hand  were  both  arrested  by  a  roar,  or  rather  a  shriek, 
from  the  beast,  that  was  sufficiently  terrific  to  appal  even 
a  stouter  heart  than  that  of  the  naturalist.  The  cries  of 
the  animal  passed  over  the  prairie  in  strange  cadences,  and 
then  succeeded  a  deep  and  solemn  silence,  that  was  only 
broken  by  an  uncontrolled  fit  of  merriment  from  the  more 
musical  voice  of  Ellen  Wade.  In  the  mean  time  the  nat 
uralist  stood  like  a  statue  of  amazement,  permitting  a 
well-grown  ass,  against  whose  approach  he  no  longer 


76  THE   PRAIRIE 

offered  his  boasted  shield  of  light,  to  smell  his  person, 
without  comment  or  hindrance. 

"It  is  your  own  ass,"  cried  Ellen,  the  instant  she  found 
breath  for  words;  "your  own  patient,  hard-working  hack!" 

The  doctor  rolled  his  eyes  from  the  beast  to  the  speaker, 
and  from  the  speaker  to  the  beast;  but  gave  no  audible 
expression  of  his  wonder. 

"Do  you  refuse  to  know  an  animal  that  has  labored  so 
long  in  your  service?"  continued  the  laughing  girl.  "A 
beast  that,  I  have  heard  you  say  a  thousand  times,  has 
served  you  well,  and  whom  you  loved  like  a  brother!" 

"Asinus  domesticus!"  ejaculated  the  Doctor,  drawing 
his  breath  like  one  who  had  been  near  suffocation.  "There 
is  no  doubt  of  the  genus;  and  I  will  always  maintain  that 
the  animal  is  not  of  the  species  equus.  This  is  undeniably 
Asinus  himself,  Ellen  Wade;  but  this  is  not  the  Vesper- 
tilio  horribilis  of  the  prairies!  Very  different  animals, 
I  can  assure  you,  young  woman,  and  differently  character 
ized  in  every  important  particular.  That,  carnivorous," 
he  continued,  glancing  his  eye  at  the  open  page  of  his 
tablets;  "this  granivorous;  habits,  fierce,  dangerous; 
habits,  patient,  abstemious;  ears,  inconspicuous;  ears, 
elongated;  horns,  diverging,  etc.;  horns,  none!" 

He  was  interrupted  by  another  burst  of  merriment  from 
Ellen,  which  served  in  some  measure  to  recall  him  to  his 
recollection. 

"The  image  of  the  Vespertilio  was  on  the  retina,"  the 
astounded  inquirer  into  the  secrets  of  nature  observed,  in 
a  manner  that  seemed  a  little  apologetic,  "and  I  was  silly 
enough  to  mistake  my  own  faithful  beast  for  the  monster. 
Though  even  now  I  greatly  marvel  to  see  this  animal  run 
ning  at  large!" 

Ellen  then  proceeded  to  explain  the  history  of  the  attack 
and  its  results.  She  described,  with  an  accuracy  that 
might  have  raised  suspicions  of  her  own  movements  in  the 
mind  of  one  less  simple  than  her  auditor,  the  manner  in 
which  the  beasts  burst  out  of  the  encampment,  and  the 
headlong  speed  with  which  they  had  dispersed  themselves 
over  the  open  plain.  Although  she  forbore  to  say  as  much 
in  terms,  she  so  managed  as  to  present  before  the  eyes  of 
her  listener  the  strong  probability  of  having  mistaken  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  77 

frightened  drove  for  savage  beasts,  and  then  terminated 
her  account  by  a  lamentation  for  their  loss,  and  some  very 
natural  remarks  on  the  helpless  condition  in  which  it  had 
left  the  family.  The  naturalist  listened  in  silent  wonder 
neither  interrupting  her  narrative,  nor  suffering  a  single 
exclamation  of  surprise  to  escape  him.  The  keen-eyed 
girl,  however,  saw  that  as  she  proceeded,  the  important 
leaf  was  torn  from  the  tablets,  in  a  manner  which  showed 
that  their  owner  had  got  rid  of  his  delusion  at  the  same 
instant.  From  that  moment  the  world  has  heard  no  more 
of  the  Vespertilio  horribilis  Americanus,  and  the  natural 
sciences  have  irretrievably  lost  an  important  link  in  that 
great  animated  chain  which  is  said  to  connect  earth  and 
heaven,  and  in  which  man  is  thought  to  be  so  familiarly 
complicated  with  the  monkey. 

When  Dr.  Bat  was  put  in  full  possession  of  all  the  cir 
cumstances  of  the  inroad,  his  concern  immediately  took  a 
different  direction,.  He  had  left  sundry  folios,  and  certain 
boxes  well  stored  with  botanical  specimens  and  defunct 
animals,  under  the  good  keeping  of  Ishmael,  and  it  im 
mediately  struck  his  acute  mind,  that  marauders  as  subtle 
as  the  Sioux  would  never  neglect  the  opportunity  to 
despoil  him  of  these  treasures.  Nothing  that  Ellen  could 
say  to  the  contrary  served  to  appease  his  apprehensions, 
and,  consequently,  they  separated ;  he  to  relieve  his  doubts 
and  fears  together,  and  she  to  glide,  as  swiftly  and  silently 
as  she  had  before  passed  it,  into  the  still  and  solitary  tent. 


CHAPTER  VII 

"  What !  fifty  of  my  followers,  at  a  clap  !" 

—KING  LEAR. 

THE  day  had  now  fairly  opened  on  the  seemingly  inte 
minable  waste  of  the  prairie.  The  entrance  of  Obed  ; 
such  a  moment  into  the  camp,  accompanied  as  it  was  I 
vociferous  lamentations  over  his  anticipated  loss,  did  n< 
fail  to  rouse  the  drowsy  family  of  the  squatter.  Ishma 
and  his  sons,  together  with  the  forbidding-looking  brothi 
of  his  wife,  were  all  speedily  afoot;  and  then,  as  the  si 
began  to  shed  his  light  on  the  place,  they  became  gradual 
apprised  of  the  extent  of  their  loss. 

Ishmael  looked  round  upon  the  motionless  and  heavi 
loaded  vehicles  with  his  teeth  firmly  compressed,  cast 
glance  at  the  amazed  and  helpless  group  of  children,  whi< 
clustered  around  their  sullen  but  desponding  mother,  ar 
walked  out  upon  the  open  land,  as  if  he  found  the  air 
the  encampment  too  confined.  He  was  followed  by  sever 
of  the  men,  who  were  attentive  observers,  watching  tl 
dark  expression  of  his  eye  as  the  index  of  their  own  futu 
movements.  The  whole  proceeded  in  profound  and  mooc 
silence  to  the  summit  of  the  nearest  swell,  whence  th< 
could  command  an  almost  boundless  view  of  the  nak< 
plains.  Here  nothing  was  visible  but  a  solitary  buffa 
that  gleaned  a  meagre  subsistence  from  the  decaying  her 
age,  at  no  great  distance,  and  the  ass  of  the  physiciai 
who  profited  by  his  freedom  to  enjoy  a  meal  richer  thj 
common. 

"Yonder  is  one  of  the  creatures  left  by  the  villains 
mock  us,"  said  Ishmael,  glancing  his  eye  towards  the  la 
ter,  "and  that  the  meanest  of  the  stock.     This  is  a  hai 
country  to  make  a  crop  in,  boys;  and  yet  food  must  I 
found  to  fill  many  hungry  mouths!" 

"The  rifle  is  better  than  the  hoe  in  such  a  place 
this,"  returned  the  eldest  of  his  sons,  kicking  the  ha] 

78 


THE   PRAIRIE  79 

and  thirsty  soil  on  which  he  stood,  with  an  air  of  con 
tempt.  "It  is  good  for  such  as  they  who  make  their  din 
ner  better  on  beggars'  beans  than  hominy.  A  crow  would 
shed  tears  if  obliged  by  its  errand  to  fly  across  the 
district." 

"What  say  you,  trapper?"  returned  the  father,  show 
ing  the  slight  impression  his  powerful  heel  had  made  on 
the  compact  earth,  and  laughing  with  frightful  ferocity. 
"Is  this  the  quality  of  land  a  man  would  choose  who  never 
troubles  the  county  clerk  with  title  deeds?" 

"There  is  richer  soil  in  the  bottoms,"  returned  the  old 
man  calmly,  "and  you  have  passed  millions  of  acres  to  get 
to  this  dreary  spot,  where  he  who  loves  to  till  the  'arth 
might  have  received  bushels  in  return  for  pints,  and  that 
too  at  the  cost  of  no  very  grievous  labor.  If  you  have 
come  in  search  of  land,  you  have  journeyed  hundreds  of 
miles  too  far  or  as  many  leagues  too  little." 

'  'There  is  then  a  better  choice  towards  the  other  ocean?" 
demanded  the  squatter,  pointing  in  the  direction  of  the 
Pacific. 

"There  is,  and  I  have  seen  it  all,"  was  the  answer  of 
the  other,  who  dropped  his  rifle  to  the  earth,  and  stood 
leaning  on  its  barrel,  like  one  who  recalled  the  scenes  he 
had  witnessed  with  melancholy  pleasure.  "I  have  seen 
the  waters  of  the  two  seas!  On  one  of  them  was  I  born, 
and  raised  to  be  a  lad  like  yonder  tumbling  boy.  America 
has  grown,  my  men,  since  the  days  of  my  youth,  to  be  a 
country  larger  than  I  once  had  thought  the  world  itself  to 
be.  Near  seventy  years  I  dwelt  in  York,  province  and 
State  together.  You've  been  in  York,  'tis  like?" 

"Not  I— not  I;  I  never  visited  the  towns;  but  often 
have  heard  the  place  you  speak  of  named.  'Tis  a  wide 
clearing  there,  I  reckon." 

"Too  wide!  too  wide!     They  scourge  the  very 
with  their  axes.     Such  hills  and  hunting-grounds  as  I  have 
seen  stripped  of  the  gifts  of  the  Lord,  without  remorse  or 
shame !    I  tarried  till  the  mouths  of  my  hounds  were  del 
ened  by  the  blows  of  the  chopper,  and  then  I  came  A 
in  search  of  quiet.  It  was  a  grievous  journey  that  I 
a  grievous  toil  to  pass  through  falling  timber,  and 
breathe  the  thick  air  of  smoky  clearings,  week  after  week, 


80  THE   PRAIRIE 

as  I  did.  'Tis  a  far  country  too,  that  State  of  York,  from 
this!" 

"It  lies  agin  the  outer  edge  of  old  Kentuck,  I  reckon; 
though  what  the  distance  may  be  I  never  knew. ' ' 

"A  gull  would  have  to  fan  a  thousand  miles  of  air  to 
find  the  eastern  sea.  And  yet  it  is  no  mighty  reach  to 
hunt  across,  when  shade  and  game  are  plenty!  The  time 
has  been  when  I  followed  the  deer  in  the  mountains  of  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson,  and  took  the  beaver  on  the  streams 
of  the  upper  lakes,  in  the  same  season;  but  my  eye  was 
quick  and  certain  at  that  day,  and  my  limbs  were  like  the 
legs  of  a  moose!  The  dam  of  Hector,"  dropping  his  look 
kindly  to  the  aged  hound  that  crouched  at  his  feet,  "was 
then  a  pup,  and  apt  to  open  on  the  game  the  moment  she 
struck  the  scent.  Sh  e  gave  me  a  deal  of  trouble,  that 
slut,  she  did!" 

"Your  hound  is  old,  stranger,  and  a  rap  on  the  head 
would  prove  a  mercy  to  the  beast. ' ' 

"The  dog  is  like  his  master,"  returned  the  trapper, 
without  appearing  to  heed  the  brutal  advice  the  other 
gave,  "and  will  number  his  days  when  his  work  amongst 
the  game  is  over,  and  not  before.  To  my  eye  things  seem 
ordered  to  meet  each  other  in  this  creation.  'Tis  not  the 
swiftest  running  deer  that  always  throws  off  the  hounds, 
nor  the  biggest  arm  that  holds  the  truest  rifle.  Look 
around  you,  men;  what  will  the  Yankee  choppers  say, 
when  they  have  cut  their  path  from  the  eastern  to  the 
western  waters,  and  find  that  a  hand,  which  can  lay  the 
'arth  bare  at  a  blow,  has  been  here  and  swept  the  country, 
in  very  mockery  of  their  wickedness.  They  will  turn  on 
their  tracks  like  a  fox  that  doubles,  and  then  the  rank 
smell  of  their  own  footsteps  will  show  them  the  madness 
of  their  waste.  Howsomever,  these  are  thoughts  that  are 
more  likely  to  rise  in  him  who  has  seen  the  folly  of  eighty 
seasons,  than  to  teach  wisdom  to  men  still  bent  on  the 
pleasures  of  their  kind!  You  have  need,  yet,  of  a  stirring 
time,  if  you  think  to  escape  the  craft  and  hatred  of  the 
burnt-wood  Indians.  They  claim  to  be  the  lawful  owners 
of  this  country,  and  seldom  leave  a  white  more  than  the 
skin  he  boasts  of,  when  once  they  get  the  power,  as  they 
always  have  the  will,  to  do  him  harm." 


THE   PRAIRIE  81 

"Old  man,"  said  Ishmael  sternly,  "to  which  people  do 
you  belong?  You  have  the  color  and  speech  of  a  Christian, 
while  it  seems  that  your  heart  is  with  the  red-skins." 

"To  me  there  is  little  difference  in  nations.  The  people 
I  loved  most  are  scattered  as  the  sands  of  the  dry  river 
beds  fly  before  the  fall  hurricanes,  and  life  is  too  short  to 
make  use  and  custom  with  strangers,  as  one  can  do  with 
such  as  he  has  dwelt  amongst  for  years.  Still  am  I  a  man 
without  the  cross  of  Indian  blood;  and  what  is  due  from 
a  warrior  to  his  nation,  is  owing  by  me  to  the  people  of 
the  States;  though  little  need  have  they,  with  their  militia 
and  their  armed  boats,  of  help  from  a  single  arm  of  four 
score." 

"Since  you  own  your  kin,  I  may  ask  a  simple  question. 
Where  are  the  Sioux  who  have  stolen  my  cattle?" 

"Where  is  the  herd  of  buffaloes,  which  was  chased  by 
the  panther  across  this  plain,  no  later  than  the  morning 
of  yesterday!  It  is  as  hard— 

"Friend,"  said  Dr.  Battius,  who  had  hitherto  been  an 
attentive  listener,  but  who  now  felt  a  sudden  impulse  to 
mingle  in  the  discourse,  "lam  grieved  when  I  find  a  ven- 
ator  or  hunter  of  your  experience  and  observation,  follow 
ing  the  current  of  vulgar  error.  The  animal  you  describe 
is  in  truth  a  species  of  the  bos  ferus  (or  bos  sylvestris,  as 
he  has  been  happily  called  by  the  poets),  but,  though  of 
close  affinity,  it  is  altogether  distinct  from  the  common 
bubulus.  Bison  is  the  better  word  ;  and  I  would  suggest 
the  necessity  of  adopting  it  in  future,  when  you  shall  have 
occasion  to  allude  to  the  species." 

"Bison  orbuffalo,itmakesbutlittlematter.  Thecreatur 
is  the  same,  call  it  by  what  name  you  will,  and- 

"  Pardon  me,  venerable  venator;  as  classification^ 


but  about  the  beginning  ^•^S^L^SS£-SStSf»Ai  aw«y 
plains  which  extend  to  the  base  of  the  Rocky  Mou        ns    ana  iner 
before  the  advancing  tide  of  settlement        Every  ^°\fiZ™$  'stretchm*  the 
"  ians.    Their  method  of  makm*  »•»•« 


bon,  "  was  useful  to  the  Indians.    Their 

^aSsffAis^^sc 

5&JBLSkAsxgRa&  . 

is  reduced  and  put  D 


82  THE   PRAIRIE 

very  soul  of  the  natural  sciences,  the  animal  or  vegetable 
must  of  necessity  be  characterized  by  the  peculiarities  of 
its  species,  which  is  always  indicated  by  the  name — 

"Friend,"  said  the  trapper,  a  little  positively,  "would 
the  tail  of  a  beaver  make  the  worse  dinner  for  calling  it 
a  mink;  or  could  you  eat  of  the  wolf  with  relish,  because 
some  bookish  man  had  given  it  the  name  of  venison?" 

As  these  questions  were  put  with  no  little  earnestness 
and  some  spirit,  there  was  every  probability  that  a  hot 
discussion  would  have  succeeded  between  two  men,  of 
whom  one  was  so  purely  practical  and  the  other  so  much 
given  to  theory,  had  not  Ishmael  seen  fit  to  terminate  the 
dispute,  by  bringing  into  view  a  subject  that  was  much 
more  important  to  his  own  immediate  interests.;! 

"Beavers'  tails  and  minks'  flesh  may  do  to  talk  about 
before  a  maple  fire  and  a  quiet  hearth,"  interrupted  the 
squatter,  without  the  smallest  deference  to  the  interested 
feelings  of  the  disputants;  "but  something  more  than 
foreign  words  or  words  of  any  sort,  is  now  needed.  Tell 
me,  trapper,  where  are  your  Sioux  skulking?" 

"It  would  be  as  easy  to  tell  you  the  colors  of  the  hawk 
that  is  floating  beneath  yonder  white  cloud!  When  a  red 
skin  strikes  his  blow,  he  is  not  apt  to  wait  until  he  is  paid 
for  the  evil  deed  in  lead." 

"Will  the  beggarly  savages  believe  they  have  enough, 
when  they  find  themselves  masters  of  all  the  stock?" 

"Natur'  is  much  the  same,  let  it  be  covered  by  what 
skin  it  may.  Do  you  ever  find  your  longings  after  riches 
less  when  you  have  made  a  good  crop,  than  before  you 
were  master  of  a  kernel  of  corn?  If  you  do,  you  differ 
from  what  the  experience  of  a  long  life  tells  me  is  the 
common  cravings  of  man." 

"Speak  plainly,  old  stranger,"  said  the  squatter,  strik 
ing  the  butt  of  his  rifle  heavily  on  the  earth,  his  dull 
capacity  finding  no  pleasure  in  a  discourse  that  was  con 
ducted  in  so  obscure  allusions;  "I  have  asked  a  simple 
question,  and  one  I  know  well  that  you  can  answer." 

"You  are  right — you  are  right.  I  can  answer,  for  I 
have  too  often  seen  the  disposition  of  my  kind  to  mistake 
it,  when  evil  is  stirring.  When  the  Sioux  have  gathered 
in  the  beasts,  and  have  made  sure  that  you  are  not  upon 


THE   PRAIRIE  83 


out  stopping  to  nose  their  prey." 

"You  have  then  seen  the  animals  you  mention!"  ex 
claimed  Dr.  Battius,  who  had  now  been  thrown  out  of  the 
conversation  quite  as  long  as  his  impatience  could  well 
brook,  and  who  approached  the  subject  with  his  tablets 
ready  opened,  as  a  book  of  reference.  "Can  you  tell  me 
it  what  you  encountered  was  of  the  species  ursus  horribilis 
-  with  the  ears,  rounded—front,  arquated—eyes  desti 
tute  of  the  remarkable  supplemental  lid—  with  six  incisors 
one  talse,  and  four  perfect  molars— 

"Trapper,  go  on,  for  we  are  engaged  in  reasonable  dis 
course,  interrupted  Ishmael;  "you  believe  we  shall  see 
more  of  the  robbers?" 

"Nay,  nay;  I  do  not  call  them  robbers,  for  it  is  the 
usage  of  their  people,  and  what  may  be  called  the  prairie 
law.  '  ' 

"I  have  come  five  hundred  miles  to  find  a  place  where 
no  man  can  ding  the  words  of  the  law  in  my  ears,"  said 
Ishmael,  fiercely,  "and  I  am  not  in  a  humor  to  stand 
quietly  at  a  bar,  while  a  red-skin  sits  in  judgment.  I  tell 
you,  trapper,  if  another  Sioux  is  seen  prowling  around 
my  camp,  wherever  it  may  be,  he  shall  feel  the  contents 
of  old  Kentuck,"  slapping  his  rifle  in  a  manner  that  could 
not  be  easily  misconstrued,  "though  he  wore  the  medal 
of  Washington  *  himself.  I  call  the  man  a  robber,  who 
takes  that  which  is  not  his  own." 

"The  Teton,  and  the  Pawnee,  and  the  Konza,  and  men 
of  a  dozen  other  tribes,  claim  to  own  these  naked  fields." 
"Nafeur'  gives  them  the  lie  in  their  teeth.  The  air, 
the  water,  and  the  ground,  are  free  gifts  to  man,  and  no 
one  has  the  power  to  portion  them  out  in  parcels."  Man 
must  drink,  and  breathe,  and  walk,  and  therefore  each 
has  a  right  to  his  share  of  'arth.  Why  do  not  the  sur 
veyors  of  the  States  set  their  compasses  and  run  their 

lrrhe  American  government  creates  chiefs  among-  the  We»tern  tribes,  and 
decorates  them  with  silver  medals  bearing  the  impression  of  the  different  pr«w- 
dents.  That  of  Washing-ton  is  the  most  prized. 

2  This  sounds  like  the  doctrine  of  Henry  George.-  [ED.] 


84  THE   PRAIRIE 

lines  over  our  heads  as  well  as  beneath  our  feet?  Why  do 
they  not  cover  their  shining  sheepskins  with  big  words, 
giving  to  the  landholder,  or  perhaps  he  should  be  called 
airholder,  so  many  rods  of  heaven,  with  the  use  of  such  a 
star  for  a  boundary-mark,  and  such  a  cloud  to  turn  a 
mill?" 

As  the  squatter  uttered  his  wild  conceit,  he  laughed 
from  the  very  bottom  of  his  chest,  in  scorn.  The  derid 
ing  but  frightful  merriment  passed  from  the  mouth  of 
one  of  his  ponderous  sons  to  that  of  the  other,  until  it 
had  made  the  circuit  of  the  whole  family. 

"Come,  trapper,"  continued  Ishmael,  in  a  tone  of  bet 
ter  humor,  like  a  man  who  feels  that  he  has  triumphed, 
"neither  of  us,  I  reckon,  has  ever  had  much  to  do  with 
title  deeds,  or  county  clerks,  or  blazed  trees;  therefore 
we  will  not  waste  words  on  fooleries.  You  ar'  a  man 
that  has  tarried  long  in  this  clearing;  and  now  I  ask  your 
opinion,  face  to  face,  without  fear  or  favor,  if  you  had 
the  lead  in  my  business  what  would  you  do?" 

The  old  man  hesitated,  and  seemed  to  give  the  required 
advice  with  deep  reluctance.  As  every  eye,  however, 
was  fastened  on  him,  and  whichever  way  he  turned  his 
face,  he  encountered  a  look  riveted  on  the  lineaments  of 
his  own  working  countenance,  he  answered  in  a  low, 
melancholy  tone: 

"I  have  seen  too  much  mortal  blood  poured  out  in 
empty  quarrels,  to  wish  ever  to  hear  an  angry  rifle  again. 
Ten  weary  years  have  I  sojourned  alone  on  these  naked 
plains,  waiting  for  my  hour,  and  not  a  blow  have  I  struck 
agin  an  enemy  more  humanized  than  the  grizzly  bear." 

"Ursus  horriblis, "  muttered  the  doctor. 

The  speaker  paused  at  the  sound  of  the  other's  voice, 
but  perceiving  it  was  no  more  than  a  sort  of  mental 
ejaculation,  he  continued  in  the  same  strain: 
.  "More  humanized  than  the  grizzly  bear,  or  the  panther 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  unless  the  beaver,  which  is  a 
wise  and  knowing  animal,  may  be  so  reckoned.  What 
would  I  advise?  Even  the  female  buffalo  will  fight  for 
her  young ! ' ' 

"It  never  then  shall  be  said,  that  Ishmael  Bush  has  less 
kindness  for  his  children  than  the  bear  for  her  cubs!" 


THE   PRAIRIE  85 

"And  yet  this  is  but  a  naked  spot  for  a  dozen  men  to 
make  head  in,  agin  five  hundred." 

"Ay,  it  is  so,"  returned  the  squatter,  glancing  his 
eye  towards  his  humble  camp;  "but  something  might  be 
done  with  the  wagons  and  the  cotton-wood." 

The  trapper  shook  his  head  incredulously,  and  pointed 
across  the  rolling  plain  in  the  direction  of  the  west,  as 
he  answered: 

"A  rifle  would  send  a  bullet  from  these  hills  into  your 
very  sleep  ing- cab  ins;  nay,  arrows  from  the  thicket  in  your 
rear  would  keep  you  all  burrowed,  like  so  many  prairie 
dogs;  it  wouldn't  do,  it  wouldn't  do.  Three  long  miles 
from  this  spot  is  a  place  where,  as  I  have  often  thought  in 
passing  across  the  desert,  a  stand  might  be  made  for  days 
and  weeks  together,  if  there  were  hearts  and  hands  ready 
to  engage  in  the  bloody  work." 

Another  low,  deriding  laugh  passed  among  the  young 
men,  announcing,  in  a  manner  sufficiently  intelligible, 
their  readiness  to  undertake  a  task  even  more  arduous. 
The  squatter  himself  eagerly  seized  the  hint  which  had 
been  so  reluctantly  extorted  from  the  trapper,  who,  by 
some  singular  process  of  reasoning,  had  evidently  per 
suaded  himself  that  it  was  his  duty  to  be  strictly  neutral. 
A  few  direct  and  pertinent  inquiries  served  to  obtain  the 
little  additional  information  that  was  necessary,  in  order 
to  make  the  contemplated  movement,  and  then  Ishmael, 
who  was,  on  emergencies,  as  terrifically  energetic  as  he 
was  sluggish  in  common,  set  about  effecting  his  object 
without  delay. 

Notwithstanding  the  industry  and  zeal  of  all  engaged, 
the  task  was  one  of  great  labor  and  difficulty.     The  loaded 
vehicles  were  to  be  drawn  by  hand  across  a  wide  distance 
of  plain,  without  track,  or  guide  of  any  sort,  except  that 
which  the  trapper  had  furnished  by  communicating  his 
knowledge  of  the  cardinal  points  of  the  compass.     In  ac 
complishing  this  object,  the  gigantic  strength  of  the  men 
was  taxed  to  the  utmost,  nor  were  the  females  or  the  chi 
dren  spared  a  heavy  proportion  of  the  toil.     While  the 
sons   distributed   themselves    about  the   heavily 
wagons,  and  drew  them  by  main  strength  up  the  r 
boring  swell,  their  mother  and  Ellen,  surrounded  by  t 


86  THE   PRAIRIE 

amazed  group  of  little  ones,  followed  slowly  in  the  rear, 
bending  under  the  weight  of  such  different  articles  as 
were  suited  to  their  several  strengths. 

Ishmael  himself  superintended  and  directed  the  whole, 
occasionally  applying  his  colossal  shoulder  to  some  lagging 
vehicle  until  he  saw  that  the  chief  difficulty,  that  of  gain 
ing  the  level  of  their  intended  route,  was  accomplished. 
Then  he  pointed  out  the  required  course,  cautioning  his 
sons  to  proceed  in  such  a  manner  that  they  should  not 
lose  the  advantage  they  had  with  so  much  labor  obtained, 
and,  beckoning  to  the  brother  of  his  wife,  they  returned 
together  to  the  empty  camp. 

Throughout  the  whole  of  this  movement,  which  occupied 
an  hour  of  time,  the  trapper  had  stood  apart,  leaning  on 
his  rifle,  with  the  aged  hound  slumbering  at  his  feet,  a 
silent  but  attentive  observer  of  all  that  passed.  Occasion 
ally  a  smile  lighted  hishard,  muscular,  but  wasted  features, 
like  a  gleam  of  sunshine  flitting  across  a  ragged  ruin,  and 
betrayed  the  momentary  pleasure  he  found  in  witnessing 
from  time  to  time  the  vast  power  the  youths  discovered. 
Then,  as  the  train  drew  slowly  up  the  ascent,  a  cloud  of 
thought  and  sorrow  threw  all  into  the  shade  again,  leaving 
the  expression  of  his  countenance  in  its  usual  state  of 
quiet  melancholy.  As  vehicle  after  vehicle  left  the  place 
of  the  encampment,  he  noted  the  change  with  increasing 
attention;  seldom  failing  to  cast  an  inquiring  look  at  the 
little  neglected  tent,  which,  with  its  proper  wagon,  still 
remained  as  before,  solitary  and  apparently  forgotten. 
The  summons  of  Ishmael  to  his  gloomy  associate  had, 
however,  as  it  would  now  seem,  this  hitherto  neglected 
portion  of  his  effects  for  its  object. 

First  casting  a  cautious  and  suspicious  glance  on  every 
side  of  him,  the  squatter  and  his  companion  advanced  to 
the  little  wagon,  and  caused  it  to  enter  within  the  folds  of 
the  cloth  much  in  the  manner  that  it  had  been  extricated 
the  preceding  evening.  They  both  then  disappeared  be 
hind  the  drapery,  and  many  moments  of  suspense  suc 
ceeded,  during  which  the  old  man,  secretly  urged  by  a 
burning  desire  to  know  the  meaning  of  so  much  mystery, 
insensibly  drew  nigh  to  the  place,  until  he  stood  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  proscribed  spot.  The  agitation  of  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  87 

cloth  betrayed  the  nature  of  the  occupation  of  those  whom 
it  concealed,  though  their  work  was  conducted  in  rigid 
silence.  It  would  appear  that  long  practise  had  made  each 
of  the  two  acquainted  with  his  particular  duty;  for  neither 
sign  nor  direction  of  any  sort  was  necessary  from  Ishmael, 
in  order  to  apprise  his  surly  associate  of  the  manner  in 
which  he  was  to  proceed.  In  less  time  than  has  been  con 
sumed  in  relating  it,  the  interior  portion  of  the  arrange 
ment  was  completed,  when  the  men  reappeared  without 
the  teat.  Too  busy  with  his  occupation  to  heed  the  pres 
ence  of  the  trapper,  Ishmael  began  to  release  the  folds  of 
the  cloth  from  the  ground,  and  to  dispose  of  them  in  such 
a  manner  around  the  vehicle,  as  to  form  a  sweeping  train 
to  the  new  form  the  little  pavilion  had  now  assumed. 
The  arched  roof  trembled  with  the  occasional  movement 
of  the  light  vehicle  which,  it  was  now  apparent,  once 
more  supported  its  secret  burden.  Just  as  the  work  was 
ended,  the  scowling  eye  of  Ishmael's  assistant  caught  a 
glimpse  of  the  figure  of  the  attentive  observer  of  their 
movements.  Dropping  the  shaft,  which  he  had  already 
lifted  from  the  ground,  preparatory  to  occupying  the  place 
that  was  usually  filled  by  an  animal  less  reasoning  and 
perhaps  less  dangerous  than  himself,  he  bluntly  exclaimed: 

"I  am  a  fool  as  you  often  say!  But  look  for  yourself. 
If  that  man  is  not  an  enemy,  I  will  disgrace  father  and 
mother,  call  myself  an  Indian,  and  go  hunt  with  the 
Sioux!" 

The  cloud,  as  it  is  about  to  discharge  the  subtle  I 
ning,  is  not  more  dark  nor  threatening,  than  the  look  w 
which  Ishmael  greeted  the  intruder.     He  turned  his  head 
on  every  side  of  him,  as  if  seeking  some  engine  sufficiently 
terrible  to  annihilate  the  offending  trapper  at  a  blow;  and 
then    possibly  recollecting  the  further  occasion  he  mighl 
have  for  his  counsel,  he  forced  himself  to  say,  with  an 
appearance  of  moderation  that  nearly  choked  him: 

"Stranger,  I  did  believe  this  prying  into  the  concei 
of  others  was  the  business  of  women  in  the  towi 
settlements,  and  not  the  manner  in  which  men   v 
used  to  live  where  each  has  room  for  himself,  deal  < 
the  secrets  of  their  neighbors.     To  what  lawyer  or  s 
do  you  calculate  to  sell  your  news?" 


88  THE   PRAIRIE 

"I  hold  but  little  discourse  except  with  one,  and  then 
chiefly  of  my  own  affairs,"  returned  the  old  man  without 
the  least  observable  apprehension,  and  pointing  imposingly 
upward ;  "a  Judge;  and  Judge  of  all.  Little  does  He  need 
knowledge  from  my  hands,  and  but  little  will  your  wish 
to  keep  anything  secret  from  Him  profit  you,  even  in  this 
desert. ' ' 

The  mounting  tempers  of  his  untutored  listeners  were 
rebuked  by  the  simple,  solemn  manner  of  the  trapper. 
Ishmael  stood  sullen  and  thoughtful;  while  his  companion 
stole  a  furtive  and  involuntary  glance  at  the  placid  sky, 
which  spread  so  wide  and  blue  above  his  head,  as  if  he  ex 
pected  to  see  the  Almighty  eye  itself  beaming  from  the 
heavenly  vault.  But  impressions  of  a  serious  character 
are  seldom  lasting  on  minds  long  indulged  in  forgetful- 
ness.  The  hesitation  of  the  squatter  was  consequently  of 
short  duration.  The  language,  however,  as  well  as  the 
firm  and  collected  air  of  the  speaker,  were  the  means  of 
preventing  much  subsequent  abuse,  if  not  violence. 

"It  would  be  showing  more  of  the  kindness  of  a  friend 
and  comrade,"  Ishmael  returned,  in  a  tone  sufficiently 
sullen  to  betray  his  humor,  though  it  was  no  longer 
threatening,  "had  your  shoulder  been  put  to  the  wheel  of 
one  of  yonder  wagons,  instead  of  edging  itself  in  here, 
wh^re  none  are  wanted  but  such  as  are  invited." 

"I  can  put  the  little  strength  that  is  left  me,"  returned 
the  trapper,  "to  this,  as  well  as  to  another  of  your  loads. ' ' 

"Do  you  take  us  for  boys!"  exclaimed  Ishmael,  laugh 
ing,  half  in  ferocity  and  half  in  derision,  applying  his 
powerful  strength  at  the  same  time  to  the  little  vehicle, 
wkich  rolled  over  the  grass  with  as  much  seeming  facility 
as  if  it  were  drawn  by  its  usual  team. 

The  trapper  paused,  and  followed  the  departing  wagon 
with  his  eye,  marveling  greatly  as  to  the  nature  of  its 
concealed  contents,  until  it  had  also  gained  the  summit  of 
the  eminence,  and  in  its  turn  disappeared  behind  the 
swell  of  the  land.  Then  he  turned  to  gaze  at  the  desola 
tion  of  the  scene  around  him.  The  absence  of  human 
forms  would  have  scarce  created  a  sensation  in  the  bosom 
of  one  so  long  accustomed  to  solitude,  had  not  the  site  of 
the  deserted  camp  furnished  such  strong  memorial  of  its 


THE   PRAIRIE  89 

recent  visitors,  and  as  the  old  man  was  quick  to  detect,  of 
their  waste  also.  He  cast  his  eye  upward,  with  a  shake 
of  the  head,  at  the  vacant  spot  in  the  heavens  which  had 
so  lately  been  filled  by  the  branches  of  those  trees  that 
now  lay  stripped  of  their  verdure,  worthless  and  deserted 
logs  at  his  feet. 

"Ay,"  he  muttered  to  himself,  "I  might  have  knowed 
it — I  might  have  knowed  it!  Often  have  I  seen  the  same 
before;  and  yet  I  brought  them  to  the  spot  myself,  and 
have  now  sent  them  to  the  only  neighborhood  of  their 
kind  within  many  long  leagues  of  the  spot  where  I  stand. 
This  is  man's  wish,  and  pride,  and  waste,  and  sinfulness! 
He  tames  the  beasts  of  the  field  to  feed  his  idle  wants; 
and  having  robbed  the  brutes  of  their  natural  food,  he 
teaches  them  to  strip  the  'arth  of  its  trees  to  quiet  their 
hunger. ' ' 

A  rustling  in  the  low  bushes  which  still  grew,  for  some 
distance,  along  the  swale  that  formed  the  thicket  on  which 
the  camp  of  Ishmael  had  rested,  caught  his  ear  at  the 
moment,  and  cut  short  the  soliloquy.  The  habits  of  so 
many  years  spent  in  the  wilderness  caused  the  old  man  to 
bring  his  rifle  to  a  poise,  with  something  like  the  activity 
and  promptitude  of  his  youth;  but,  suddenly  recovering 
his  recollection,  he  dropped  it  into  the  hollow  of  his  arm 
again,  and  resumed  his  air  of  melancholy  resignation. 

"Come  forth,  come  forth!"  he  said  aloud;  "be  ye  bird 
or  be  ye  beast,  ye  are  safe  from  these  old  hands.  I  have 
eaten  and  I  have  drunk;  why  should  I  take  life,  when  my 
wants  call  for  no  sacrifice?  It  will  not  be  long  afore  the 
birds  will  peck  at  eyes  that  shall  not  see  them,  and  per 
haps  light  on  my  very  bones;  for  if  things  like  these  arc 
only  made  to  perish,  why  am  I  to  expect  to  live  forever? 
Come  forth,  come  forth;  you  are  safe  from  harm  at  these 
weak  hands." 

"Thank  you  for  the  good  word,  old  trapper!  cried 
Paul  Hover,  springing  actively  forward  from  his  place  of 
concealment.  "There  was  an  air  about  you,  when  you 
threw  forward  the  muzzle  of  your  piece,  that  I  did  not 
like,  for  it  seemed  to  say  that  you  were  master  of  all 
rest  of  the  motions." 

"You  are  right— you  are  right!"  cried  the  trapper, 


90  THE   PRAIRIE 

laughing  with  inward  self-complacency  at  the  recollection 
of  his  former  skill.  "The  day  has  been  when  few  men 
knew  the  virtues  of  a  long  rifle  like  this  I  carry,  better 
than  myself,  old  and  useless  as  I  now  seem.  You  are 
right,  young  man;  and  the  time  was  when  it  was  danger 
ous  to  move  a  leaf  within  ear-shot  of  my  stand;  or,"  he 
added,  dropping  his  voice  and  looking  serious,  "for  a  red 
Mingo  to  show  an  eyeball  from  his  ambushment  You 
have  heard  of  the  red  Mingoes?" 

"I  have  heard  of  minks,"  said  Paul,  taking  the  old 
man  by  the  arm,  and  gently  urging  him  towards  the 
thicket  as  he  spoke;  while  at  the  same  time  he  cast  quick 
and  uneasy  glances  behind  him,  in  order  to  make  sure  he 
was  not  observed.  "Of  your  common  black  minks;  but 
none  of  any  other  color." 

"Lord!  Lord!"  continued  the  trapper,  shaking  his 
head,  and  still  laughing  in  his  deep,  but  quiet  manner; 
"the  boy  mistakes  a  brute  for  a  man!  Though  a  Mingo 
is  little  better  than  a  beast;  or,  for  that  matter,  he  is 
worse,  when  rum  and  opportunity  are  placed  before  his 
eyes.  There  was  that  accursed  Huron  from  the  upper 
lakes,  that  I  knocked  from  his  perch  among  the  rocks  in 
the  hills,  back  of  the  Hori — 

His  voice  was  lost  in  the  thicket,  into  which  he  had 
suffered  himself  to  be  led  by  Paul  while  speaking,  too 
much  occupied  by  thoughts  which  dwelt  on  scenes  and 
acts  that  had  taken  place  half  a  century  earlier  in  the  his 
tory  of  the  country,  to  offer  the  smallest  resistance. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

"Now  they  are  clapper-clawing  one  another;  I'll  go  look  on.  That  dissem 
bling  abominable  varlet,  Diomed,  has  got  that  same  scurvy,  doting,  foolish  young 
knave  in  his  helm." 

— TBOILUS  AND  CRESSIDA. 

IT  is  necessary  in  order  that  the  thread  of  the  narrative 
should  not  be  spun  to  a  length  which  might  fatigue  the 
reader,  that  he  should  imagine  a  week  to  have  intervened 
between  the  scene  with  which  the  preceding  chapter  closed 
and  the  events  with  which  it  is  our  intention  to  resume 
its  relation  in  this.  The  season  was  on  the  point  of  chang 
ing  its  character;  the  verdure  of  summer  giving  place 
more  rapidly  to  the  brown  and  partly-colored  livery  of 
the  fall.1  The  heavens  were  clothed  in  driving  clouds, 
piled  in  vast  masses  one  above  the  other,  which  whirled 
violently  in  the  gusts;  opening,  occasionally,  to  admit 
transient  glimpses  of  the  bright  and  glorious  sight  of  the 
heavens,  dwelling  in  a  magnificence  by  far  too  grand  and 
durable  to  be  disturbed  by  the  fitful  efforts  of  the  lower 
world.  Beneath,  the  wind  swept  across  the  wild  and 
naked  prairies  with  a  violence  that  is  seldom  witnessed 
in  any  section  of  the  continent  less  open.  It  would  have 
been  easy  to  have  imagined,  in  the  ages  of  fable,  that  the 
god  of  the  winds  had  permitted  his  subordinate  agents 
to  escape  from  their  den,  and  that  they  now  rioted  in 
wantonness  across  wastes  where  neither  tree,  nor  work  of 
man,  nor  mountain,  nor  obstacle  of  any  sort,  opposed  it 
self  to  their  gambols. 

Though  nakedness  might,  as  usual,  be  given  as  the  per 
vading  character  of  the  spot  whither  it  is  now  necessary 
to  transfer  the  scene  of  the  tale,  it  was  not  entirely  with 
out  the  signs  of  human  life.  Amid  the  monotonous  roll 
ing  of  the  prairie,  a  single  naked  and  ragged  rock  arose 
on  the  margin  of  a  little  water-course  which  found  its 


1  The  Americans  call  the  autumn  the  "  fall,"  from  the  fall  of  the  leaf. 

91 


92  THE   PRAIRIE 

way,  after  winding  a  vast  distance  through  the  plains, 
into  one  of  the  numerous  tributaries  of  the  Father  of 
Rivers.  A  swale  of  low  land  lay  near  the  base  of  the  emi 
nence,  and  as  it  was  still  fringed  with  a  thicket  of  alders 
and  sumach,  it  bore  the  signs  of  having  once  nurtured  a 
feeble  growth  of  wood.  The  trees  themselves  had  been 
transferred,  however,  to  the  summit  and  crags  of  the 
neighboring  rocks.  On  this  elevation,  the  signs  of  man, 
to  which  the  allusion  just  made  applies,  were  to  be 
found. 

Seen  from  beneath,  there  were  visible  a  breastwork  of 
logs  and  stones,  intermingled  in  such  a  manner  as  to  save 
all  unnecessary  labor,  a  few  low  roofs  made  of  bark  and 
boughs  of  trees,  an  occasional  barrier,  constructed  like 
the  defenses  on  the  summit,  and  placed  on  such  points  of 
the  acclivity  as  were  easier  of  approach  than  the  general 
face  of  the  eminence;  and  a  little  dwelling  of  cloth, 
perched  on  the  apex  of  a  small  pyramid  that  shot  up  on 
one  angle  of  the  rock,  the  white  covering  of  which  glim 
mered  from  a  distance  like  a  spot  of  snow,  or,  to  make 
the  simile  more  suitable  to  the  rest  of  the  subject,  like  a 
spotless  and  carefully  guarded  standard,  which  was  to  be 
protected  by  the  dearest  blood  of  those  who  defended  the 
citadel  beneath.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add,  that  this 
rude  and  characteristic  fortress  was  the  place  where  Ish- 
mael  Bush  had  taken  refuge,  after  the  robbery  of  his 
flocks  and  herds. 

On  the  day  to  which  the  narrative  is  advanced,  the 
squatter  was  standing  near  the  base  of  the  rocks,  leaning 
on  his  rifle,  and  regarding  the  sterile  soil  that  supported 
him  with  a  look  in  which  contempt  and  disappointment 
were  strongly  blended. 

'Tis  time  to  change  our  naturs, "  he  observed  to  the 
brother  of  his  wife,  who  was  rarely  far  from  his  elbow; 
"and  to  become  ruminators,  instead  of  people  used  to  the 
fare  of  Christians  and  free  men.  I  reckon,  Abiram,  you 
could  glean  a  living  among  the  grasshoppers;  you  ar'  an 
active  man,  and  might  outrun  the  nimblest  skipper  of 
them  all." 

"The  country  will  never  do,"  returned  the  other,  who 
relished  but  little  the  forced  humor  of  his  kinsman;  "and 


THE  PRAIRIE  93 

it  is  well  to  remember  that  a  lazy  traveler  makes  a  lone 
journey. ' ' 

"Would  you  have  me  draw  a  cart  at  my  heels,  across 
this  desert,  for  weeks— ay,  months?"  retorted  Ishmael, 
who,  like  all  of  his  class,  could  labor  with  incredible 
efforts  on  emergencies,  but  who  too  seldom  exerted  con 
tinued  industry  on  any  occasion  to  brook  a  proposal  that 
offered  so  little  repose.  "It  may  do  for  your  people,  who 
live  in  settlements,  to  hasten  on  to  their  houses;  but, 
thank  Heaven!  my  farm  is  too  big  for  its  owner  ever  to 
want  a  resting-place." 

"Since  you  like  the  plantation,  then,  you  have  only  to 
make  your  crop." 

"That  is  easier  said  than  done,  on  this  corner  of  the 
estate.  I  tell  you,  Abiram,  there  is  need  of  moving,  for 
more  reasons  than  one.  You  know  I'm  a  man  that  very 
seldom  enters  into  a  bargain,  but  who  always  fulfills  his 
agreements  better  than  your  dealers  in  wordy  contracts 
written  on  rags  of  paper.  If  there's  one  mile,  there  ar' 
a  hundred  still  needed  to  make  up  the  distance,  for  which 
you  have  my  honor." 

As  he  spoke,  the  squatter  glanced  his  eye  upward  at  the 
little  tenement  of  cloth,  which  crowned  the  summit  of  his 
ragged  fortress.  The  look  was  understood  and  answered 
by  the  other;  and  by  some  secret  influence,  which  operated 
either  through  their  interests  or  feelings,  it  served  to  re 
establish  that  harmony  between  them,  which  had  just  been 
threatened  with  something  like  a  momentary  breach. 

"I  know  it  and  feel  it  in  every  bone  of  my  body.  But 
I  remember  the  reason  why  I  have  set  myself  on  this  ac 
cursed  journey  too  well,  to  forget  the  distance  between 
me  and  the  end.  Neither  you  nor  I  will  ever  be  the  better 
for  what  we  have  done,  unless  we  thoroughly  finish  what 
is  so  well  begun.  Ay,  that  is  the  doctrine  of  the  whole 
world,  I  judge.  I  heard  a  traveling  preacher,  who  was 
skirting  it  down  the  Ohio,  a  time  since,  say,  if  a  man 
should  live  up  to  the  faith  for  a  hundred  years,  and  then 
fall  from  his  work  a  single  day,  he  would  find  the  settle 
ment  was  to  be  made  for  the  finishing  blow  that  he  had  put 
to  his  job,  and  that  all  the  bad,  and  none  of  the  good, 
would  come  into  the  final  account." 


94  THE   PRAIRIE 

"And  you  believed  the  hungry  hypocrite!" 

"Who  said  that  I  believed  it?"  retorted  Abiram  with  a 
bullying  look,  that  betrayed  how  much  his  fears  had  dwelt 
on  the  subject  he  affected  to  despise.  "Is  it  believing  to 
tell  what  a  roguish — and  yet,  Ishmael,  the  man  might 
have  been  honest  after  all !  He  told  us  that  the  world 
was,  in  truth,  no  better  than  a  desert,  and  that  there  was 
but  one  hand  that  could  lead  the  most  learned  man  through 
all  its  crooked  windings.  Now,  if  this  be  true  of  the 
whole,  it  may  be  true  of  a  part. ' ' 

"Abiram,  out  with  your  grievances  like  a  man,"  inter 
rupted  the  squatter,  with  a  hoarse  laugh.  "You  want  to 
pray!  But  of  what  use  will  it  be,  according  to  your  own 
doctrine,  to  serve  God  five  minutes  and  the  devil  an  hour? 
Harkee,  friend;  I'm  not  much  of  a  husbandman,  but  this 
I  know  to  my  cost:  that  to  make  a  right  good  crop,  even 
on  the  richest  bottom,  there  must  be  hard  labor;  and  your 
snufflers  'liken  the  'arth  to  a  field  of  corn,  and  the  men, 
who  live  on  it,  to  its  yield.  Now  I  tell  you,  Abiram,  that 
you  are  no  better  than  a  thistle  or  a  mullein;  yea,  ye  ar' 
a  wood  of  too  open  a  pore  to  be  good  even  to  burn. ' ' 

The  malign  glance  which  shot  from  the  scowling  eye  of 
Abiram  announced  the  angry  character  of  his  feelings; 
but  as  the  furtive  look  quailed,  immediately,  before  the 
unmoved,  steady  countenance  of  the  squatter,  it  also  be 
trayed  how  much  the  bolder  spirit  of  the  latter  had 
obtained  the  mastery  over  his  craven  nature. 

Content  with  his  ascendency,  which  was  too  apparent, 
and  had  been  too  often  exerted  on  similar  occasions,  to 
leave  him  in  any  doubt  of  its  extent,  Ishmael  coolly  con 
tinued  the  discourse,  by  adverting  more  directly  to  his 
future  plans. 

"You  will  own  the  justice  of  paying  every  one  in  kind, ' ' 
he  said;  "I  have  been  robbed  of  my  stock,  and  I  have  a 
scheme  to  make  myself  as  good  as  before,  by  taking  hoof 
for  hoof;  or,  for  that  matter,  when  a  man  is  put  to  the 
trouble  of  bargaining  for  both  sides,  he  is  a  fool  if  he 
don't  pay  himself  something  in  the  way  of  commission." 

As  the  squatter  made  this  declaration  in  a  tone  which 
was  a  little  excited  by  the  humor  of  the  moment,  four  or 
five  of  his  lounging  sons,  who  had  been  leaning  against 


THE   PRAIRIE  95 

the  foot  of  the  rock,  came  forward  with  the  indolent  step 
so  common  to  the  family. 

"I  have  been  calling  Ellen  Wade,  who  is  on  the  rock 
keeping  the  lookout,  to  know  if  there  is  anything  to  be 
seen,"  observed  the  eldest  of  the  young  men;  "and  she 
shakes  her  head,  for  an  answer.  Ellen  is  sparing  of  her 
words  for  a  woman;  and  might  be  taught  manners,  at  least 
without  spoiling  her  good  looks." 

Ishmael  cast  his  eye  upwards  to  the  place  where  the 
offending  but  unconscious  girl  was  holding  her  anixous 
watch.  She  was  seated  at  the  edge  of  the  uppermost  crag, 
by  the  side  of  the  little  tent,  and  at  least  two  hundred 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  plain.  Little  else  was  to  be 
distinguished,  at  that  distance,  but  the  outline  of  her 
form,  her  fair  hair  streaming  in  the  gusts  beyond  her 
shoulders,  and  the  steady  and  seemingly  unchangeable 
look  that  she  riveted  on  some  remote  point  of  the  prairie. 

"What  is  it,  Nell?"  cried  Ishmael,  lifting  his  powerful 
voice  a  little  above  the  rushing  of  the  element.  "Have 
you  got  a  glimpse  of  anything  bigger  than  a  burrowing 
barker?" 

The  lips  of  the  attentive  Ellen  parted;  she  rose  to  the 
utmost  height  her  small  stature  admitted,  seeming  still 
to  regard  the  unknown  object;  but  her  voice,  if  she  spoke 
at  all,  was  not  sufficiently  loud  to  be  heard  amid  the  wind. 

"It  ar'  a  fact  that  the  child  sees  something  more  un 
common  than  a  buffalo,  or  a  prairie  dog!"  continued  Ish 
mael.  "Why,  Nell,  girl,  ar'  ye  deaf ?  Nell,  I  say;  I  hope 
it  is  an  army  of  red-skins  she  has  in  her  eye;  for  I  should 
relish  the  chance  to  pay  them  for  their  kindness,  under 
the  favor  of  these  logs  and  rocks!" 

As  the  squatter  accompanied  his  vaunt  with  correspond 
ing  gestures,  and  directed  his  eyes  to  the  circle  of  his 
equally  confident  sons  while  speaking,  he  drew  their  gaze 
from  Ellen  to  himself;  but  now,  when  they  turned  together 
to  note  the  succeed  ing  movements  of  their  female  sentinel, 
the  place  which  had  so  lately  been  occupied  by  her  form 
was  vacant.  "As  I  am  a  sinner,"  exclaimed  Asa,  usually 
one  of  the  most  phlegmatic  of  the  youths,  "the  girl  is 
blown  away  by  the  wind!" 

Something  like  a  sensation  was  exhibited  among  them, 


96  THE   PRAIRIE 

which  might  have  denoted  that  the  influence  of  the  laugh 
ing  blue  eyes,  flaxen  hair,  and  glowing  cheeks  of  Ellen, 
had  not  been  lost  on  the  dull  natures  of  the  young  men; 
and  looks  of  amazement,  mingled  slightly  with  concern, 
passed  from  one  to  the  other  as  they  gazed,  in  dull  wonder, 
at  the  point  of  the  naked  rock. 

"It  might  well  be!"  added  another;  "she  sat  on  a  sliv 
ered  stone,  and  I  have  been  thinking  of  telling  her  she 
was  in  danger-  for  more  than  an  hour." 

"Is  that  a  ribbon  of  the  child,  dangling  from  the  corner 
of  the  hill  below?"  cried  Ishmael;  "ha!  who  is  moving 
about  the  tent?  have  I  not  told  you  all — 

"Ellen!  'tis  Ellen!"  interrupted  the  whole  body  of  his 
sons  in  a  breath,  and  at  that  instant  she  reappeared  to  put 
an  end  to  their  different  surmises,  and  to  relieve  more 
than  one  sluggish  nature  from  its  unwonted  excitement. 
As  Ellen  issued  from  beneath  the  folds  of  the  tent,  she  ad 
vanced  with  a  light  and  fearless  step  to  her  former  giddy 
stand,  and  pointed  towards  the  prairie,  appearing  to  speak 
in  an  eager  and  rapid  voice  to  some  invisible  auditor. 

"Nell  is  mad!"  said  Asa,  half  in  contempt,  and  yet  not 
a  little  in  concern.  "The  girl  is  dreaming  with  her  eyes 
open;  and  thinks  she  sees  some  of  them  fierce  creatur's 
with  hard  names,  with  which  the  Doctor  fills  her  ears." 

"Can  it  be  that  the  child  has  found  a  scout  of  the 
Sioux?"  said  Ishmael,  bending  his  look  towards  the 
plain;  but  a  low,  significant  whisper  from  Abiram  drew 
his  eyes  quickly  upwards  again,  where  they  were  turned 
just  in  time  to  perceive  that  the  cloth  of  the  tent  was  agi 
tated  by  a  motion  very  evidently  different  from  the  quiv 
ering  occasioned  by  the  wind.  "Let  her,  if  she  dare!" 
the  squatter  muttered  in  his  teeth.  "Abiram,  they  know 
my  temper  too  well  to  play  the  prank  with  me!" 

"Look  for  yourself!  If  the  curtain  is  not  lifted,  I  can 
see  no  better  than  the  owl  by  daylight. ' ' 

Ishmael  struck  the  breech  of  his  rifle  violently  on  the 
earth,  and  shouted  in  a  voice  that  might  easily  have  been 
heard  by  Ellen,  had  not  her  attention  still  continued  rapt 
on  the  subject  which  so  unaccountably  attracted  her  eyes 
in  the  distance. 

"Nell!"  continued  the  squatter,  "away  with  you,  fool! 


THE   PRAIRIE  97' 

will  you  bring  down  punishment  on  your  own  head?  Why, 
Nell! — she  has  forgotten  her  native  speech;  let  us  see  if 
she  can  understand  another  language. ' ' 

Ishmael  threw  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder,  and  at  the  next 
moment  it  was  pointed  upwards  at  the  summit  of  the  rock. 
Before  time  was  given  for  a  word  of  remonstrance,  it  had 
sent  forth  its  contents,  in  its  usual  streak  of  bright  flame. 
Ellen  started  like  the  frightened  chamois,  and,  uttering  a 
piercing  scream,  she  darted  into  the  tent  with  a  swiftness 
that  left  it  uncertain  whether  terror  or  actual  injury  had 
been  the  penalty  of  her  offense. 

The  action  of  the  squatter  was  too  sudden  and  unexpected 
to  admit  of  prevention;  but  the  instant  it  was  done,  his 
sons  manifested,  in  an  unequivocal  manner,  the  temper 
with  which  they  witnessed  the  desperate  measure.  Angry 
and  fierce  glances  were  interchanged,  and  a  murmur  of 
disapprobation  was  uttered  by  the  whole,  in  common. 

"What  has  Ellen  done, father,"  said  Asa,  with  a  degree 
of  spirit  which  was  the  more  striking  from  being  unusual, 
"that  she  should  be  shot  at  like  a  straggling  deer  or  a 
hungry  wolf?" 

"Mischief,"  deliberately  returned  the  squatter;  but 
with  a  cool  expression  of  defiance  in  his  eye,  that  showed 
how  little  he  was  moved  by  the  ill-concealed  humor  of  his 
children.  "Mischief,  boy;  mischief !  take  your  heed  that 
the  disorder  don't  spread!" 

"It  would  need  a  different  treatment  in  a  man  than  in 
yon  screaming  girl." 

"Asa,  you  ar'  a  man,  as  you  have  often  boasted;  but 
remember,  I  am  your  father,  and  your  better. ' 

"I  know  it  well;  and  what  sort  of  a  father?" 

"Harkee,  boy;  I  more  than  half  believe  that  your 
drowsy  head  let  in  the  Sioux.  Be  modest  in  speech, 
my  watchful  son,  or  you  may  have  to  answer  yet  for  the 
mischief  your  own  bad  conduct  has  brought  upon  us. 

"I'll  stay  no  longer,  to  be  hectored  like  a  child  in  pel 
ticoats.     You  talk  of  law,  as  if  you  knew  of  none,  and  yet 
you  keep  me  down  as  though  I  had  not  life  and  wants  of 
my  own.     I'll  stay  no  longer  to  be  treated  like  one  of  yoi 
meanest  cattle!"  , 

"The  world  is  wide,  my  gallant  boy,  and  there  a  many 


98  THE   PRAIRIE 

a  noble  plantation  on  it,  without  a  tenant.  Go;  you  have 
title  deeds  signed  and  sealed  to  your  hand.  Few  fathers 
portion  their  children  better  than  Ishmael  Bush;  you  will 
say  that  for  me  at  least,  when  you  get  to  be  a  wealthy 
landholder. '  ' 

"Look!  father,  look!"  exclaimed  several  voices  at  once, 
seizing  with  avidity  an  opportunity  to  interrupt  a  dialogue 
which  threatened  to  become  more  violent. 

"Look!"  repeated  Abiram,  in  a  voice  which  sounded 
hollow  and  warning;  "if  you  have  time  for  anything  but 
quarrels,  Ishmael,  look!" 

The  squatter  turned  slowly  from  his  offending  son,  and 
cast  an  eye  that  still  lowered  with  deep  resentment  up 
ward;  but  which,  the  instant  it  caught  a  view  of  the  ob 
ject  that  now  attracted  the  attention  of  all  around  him, 
changed  its  expression  to  one  of  astonishment  and  dismay. 

A  female  stood  on  the  spot  from  which  Ellen  had  been 
so  fearfully  expelled.  Her  person  was  of  the  smallest  size 
that  is  believed  to  comport  with  beauty,  and  which  poets 
and  artists  have  chosen  as  the  beau  ideal  of  female  love 
liness.  Her  dress  was  of  a  dark  and  glossy  silk,  and  flut 
tered  like  gossamer  around  her  form.  Long,  flowing,  and 
curling  tresses  of  hair,  still  blacker  and  more  shining  than 
her  robe,  fell  at  times  about  her  shoulders,  completely 
enveloping  the  whole  of  her  delicate  bust  in  their  ringlets. 
or  at  others  streaming  in  the  wind.  The  elevation  at 
which  she  stood  prevented  a  close  examination  of  the  linea 
ments  of  a  countenance  which,  however,  it  might  be  seen 
was  youthful,  and  at  the  moment  of  her  unlooked-for  ap 
pearance,  eloquent  with  feeling.  So  young,  indeed,  did 
this  fair  and  fragile  being  appear,  that  it  might  be  doubted 
whether  the  age  of  childhood  was  entirely  passed.  One 
small  and  exquisitely  moulded  hand  was  pressed  on  her 
heart,  while  with  the  other  she  made  an  impressive  ges 
ture,  which  seemed  to  invite  Ishmael,  if  further  violence 
was  meditated,  to  direct  it  against  her  bosom. 

The  silent  wonder  with  which  the  group  of  borderers 
gazed  upwards  at  so  extraordinary  a  spectacle,  was  only 
interrupted  as  the  person  of  Ellen  was  seen  emerging  with 
timidity  from  the  tent,  as  if  equally  urged  by  apprehen 
sions  in  behalf  of  herself,  and  the  fears  which  she  felt  on 


A    THE   PRAIRIE  99 

account  of  her  companion,  to  remain  concealed  and  to  ad 
vance.  She  spoke,  but  her  words  were  unheard  by  those 
below,  and  unheeded  by  her  to  whom  they  were  addressed. 
The  latter,  however,  as  if  content  with  the  offer  she  had 
made  of  herself  as  a  victim  to  the  resentment  of  Ishmael, 
now  calmly  retired,  and  the  spot  she  had  so  lately  occupied 
became  vacant,  leaving  a  sort  of  stupid  expression  on  the 
spectators  beneath,  not  unlike  that  which  it  might  be 
supposed  would  have  been  created,  had  they  just  been 
gazing  at  some  supernatural  vision. 

More  than  a  minute  of  profound  silence  succeeded,  dur 
ing  which  the  sons  of  Ishmael  still  continued  gazing  at  the 
naked  rock  in  stupid  wonder.  Then,  as  eye  met  eye,  an 
expression  of  novel  intelligence  passed  from  one  to  the 
other,  indicating  that  to  them,  at  least,  the  appearance 
of  this  extraordinary  tenant  of  the  pavilion  was  as  unex 
pected  as  it  was  incomprehensible.  At  length  Asa,  in 
right  of  his  years,  and  moved  by  the  rankling  impulse  of 
the  recent  quarrel,  took  on  himself  the  office  of  inter 
rogator.  Instead,  however,  of  braving  the  resentment  of 
his  father,  of  whose  fierce  nature,  when  aroused,  he  had 
had  too  frequent  evidence  to  excite  it  wantonly,  he  turned 
upon  the  cowering  person  of  Abiram,  observing  with  a 
sneer: 

"This  then  is  the  beast  you  were  bringing  into  the 
prairies  for  a  decoy!  I  know  you  to  be  a  man  who  seldom 
troubles  truth  when  anything  worse  may  answer,  but  I 
never  knew  you  to  outdo  yourself  so  thoroughly  before. 
The  newspapers  of  Kentuck  have  called  you  a  dealer  in 
black  flesh  a  hundred  times,  but  little  did  they  reckon 
that  you  drove  the  trade  into  white  families." 

"Who  is  a  kidnapper?"    demanded  Abiram,    with    a 
blustering  show  of  resentment.     "Am  I  to  be  called  to 
account  for  every  lie  they  put  in  print  throughout  the 
States?     Look  to  your  own  family,  boy;  look  to  your 
selves.     The  very  stumps  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  cry 
out  agin  ye.      Ay,  my  tonguey  gentleman,  I  have  j 
father,  mother,  and  three  children,  yourself  for  one   pub 
lished  on  the  logs  and  stubs  of  the  settlements,  with  doll 
enough  for  reward  to  have  made  an  honest  man  rich, 
for " 


100  THE   PRAIRIE 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  back-handed  but  violent  blow 
on  the  mouth  that  caused  him  to  totter,  and  which  left 
the  impression  of  its  weight  in  the  starting  blood  and 
swelling  lips. 

"Asa,"  said  the  father,  advancing  with  a  portion  of 
that  dignity  with  which  the  hand  of  Nature  seems  to  have 
invested  the  parental  character,  "you  have  struck  the 
brother  of  your  mother ! ' ' 

"I  have  struck  the  abuser  of  the  whole  family, ' '  returned 
the  angry  youth;  "and,  unless  he  teaches  his  tongue  a 
wiser  language,  he  had  better  part  with  it  altogether,  as 
the  unruly  member.  I'm  no  great  performer  with  the 
knife,  but  on  an  occasion  could  make  out,  myself,  to  cut 
off  a  slande ' 

"Boy,  twice  have  you  forgotten  yourself  to-day.  Be 
careful  that  it  does  not  happen  the  third  time.  When  the 
law  of  the  land  is  weak,  it  is  right  the  law  of  nature 
should  be  strong.  You  understand  me,  Asa;  and  you 
know  me.  As  for  you,  Abiram,  the  child  has  done  you 
wrong,  and  it  is  my  place  to  see  you  righted.  Remember; 
I  tell  you  justice  shall  be  done;  it  is  enough.  But  you 
have  said  hard  things  agin  me  and  my  family.  If  the 
hounds  of  the  law  have  put  their  bills  on  the  trees  and 
stumps  of  the  clearings,  it  was  for  no  act  of  dishonesty, 
as  you  know,  but  because  we  maintain  the  rule  that  'arth 
is  common  property.  No,  Abiram ;  could  I  wash  my  hands 
of  things  done  by  your  advice,  as  easily  as  I  can  of  the 
things  done  by  the  whisperings  of  the  devil,  my  sleep 
would  be  quieter  at  night,  and  none  who  bear  my  name 
need  blush  to  hear  it  mentioned.  Peace,  Asa,  and  you, 
too,  man;  enough  has  been  said.  Let  us  all  think  well 
before  anything  is  added,  that  may  make  what  is  already 
so  bad  still  more  bitter." 

Ishmael  waved  his  hand  with  authority,  as  he  ended, 
and  turned  away  with  the  air  of  one  who  felt  assured  that 
those  he  had  addressed  would  not  have  the  temerity  to 
dispute  his  commands.  Asa  evidently  struggled  with  him 
self  to  compel  the  required  obedience,  but  his  heavy  nature 
quietly  sank  into  its  ordinary  repose,  and  he  soon  appeared 
again  the  being  he  really  was;  dangerous  only  at  moments, 
and  one  whose  passions  were  too  sluggish  to  be  long  main- 


THE   PRAIRIE  10 1 

tained  at  the  point  of  ferocity.  Not  so  with  Abiram 
While  there  was  an  appearance  of  a  personal  conflict  be 
tween  him  and  his  colossal  nephew,  his  mien  had  expressed 
the  infallible  evidences  of  engrossing  apprehension;  but 
now  that  the  authority  as  well  as  gigantic  strength  of  the 
father  were  interposed  between  him  and  his  assailant,  his 
countenance  changed  from  paleness  to  a  livid  hue,  that 
bespoke  how  deeply  the  injury  he  had  received  rankled  in 
his  breast.  Like  Asa,  however,  he  acquiesced  in  the  de 
cision  of  the  squatter;  and  the  appearance,  at  least,  of 
harmony  was  restored  again  among  a  set  of  beings,  who 
were  restrained  by  no  obligations  more  powerful  than  the 
frail  web  of  authority  with  which  Ishmael  had  been  able 
to  envelop  his  children. 

One  effect  of  the  quarrel  had  been  to  divert  the  thoughts 
of  the  young  man  from  their  recent  visitor.  With  the  dis 
pute  that  succeeded  the  disappearance  of  the  fair  stranger, 
all  recollection  of  her  existence  appeared  to  have  vanished. 
A  few  ominous  and  secret  conferences,  it  is  true,  were 
held  apart,  during  which  the  direction  of  the  eyes  of  the 
different  speakers  betrayed  their  subject;  but  these  threat 
ening  symptoms  soon  disappeared,  and  the  whole  party 
was  again  seen  broken  into  its  usual,  listless,  silent,  and 
lounging  groups. 

"I  will  go  upon  the  rock,  boys,  and  look  abroad  for  the 
savages,"  said  Ishmael  shortly  after,  advancing  towards 
them  with  a  mien  which  he  intended  should  be  conciliat 
ing,  at  the  same  time  that  it  was  authoritative.  "If  there 
is  nothing  to  fear,  we  will  go  out  on  the  plain;  the  day  is 
too  good  to  be  lost  in  words,  like  women  in  the  towns 
wrangling  over  their  tea  and  sugared  cakes." 

Without  waiting  for  approbation  or  dissent,  the  squat 
ter  advanced  to  the  base  of  the  rock,  which  formed  a  sort 
of  perpendicular  wall,  nearly  twenty  feet  high,  around 
the  whole  acclivity.  Ishmael,  however,  directed  his  foot 
steps  to  a  point  where  an  ascent  might  be  made  through  a 
narrow  cleft,  which  he  had  taken  the  precaution  to  fortify 
with  a  breastwork  of  cotton-wood  logs,  and  which,  in  its 
turn,  was  defended  by  a  chevaux-de-frise  of  the  branches 
of  the  same  tree.  Here  an  armed  man  was  usually  kept, 
as  at  the  key  of  the  whole  position,  and  here  one  of  the 


102  THE   PRAIRIE 

young  men  now  stood,  indolently  leaning  against  the  rock, 
ready  to  protect  the  pass,  if  it  should  prove  necessary, 
until  the  whole  party  could  be  mustered  at  the  several 
points  of  defense. 

From  this  place  the  squatter  found  the  ascent  still  diffi 
cult,  partly  by  nature,  and  partly  by  artificial  impedi 
ments,  until  he  reached  a  sort  of  terrace,  or  to  speak  more 
properly,  the  plain  of  the  elevation,  where  he  had  estab 
lished  the  huts  in  which  the  whole  family  dwelt.  These 
tenements  were,  as  already  mentioned,  of  that  class  which 
are  so  often  seen  on  the  borders,  and  such  as  belonged  to 
the  infancy  of  architecture;  being  simply  formed  of  logs, 
bark,  and  poles.  The  area  on  which  they  stood  contained 
several  hundred  square  feet,  and  was  sufficiently  elevated 
above  the  plain  greatly  to  lessen,  if  not  to  remove,  all 
danger  from  Indian  missiles.  Here  Ishmael  believed  he 
might  leave  his  infants  in  comparative  security,  under  the 
protection  of  their  spirited  mother;  and  here  he  now  found 
Esther  engaged  at  her  ordinary  domestic  employments, 
surrounded  by  her  daughters,  and  lifting  her  voice,  in 
declamatory  censure,  as  one  or  another  of  the  idle  fry  in 
curred  her  displeasure,  and  far  too  much  engrossed  with  the 
tempest  of  her  own  conversation  to  know  anything  of  the 
violent  scene  which  had  been  passing  below. 

"A  fine  windy  place  you  have  chosen  for  the  camp,  Ish 
mael!"  she  commenced,  or  rather  continued,  by  merely 
diverting  the  attack  from  a  sobbing  girl  of  ten,  at  her 
elbow,  to  her  husband.  "My  word!  if  I  haven't  to  count 
the  young  ones  every  ten  minutes,  to  see  they  are  not  fly 
ing  away  among  the  buzzards  or  the  ducks.  Why  do  ye 
all  keep  hovering  round  the  rock,  like  lolloping  reptiles 
in  the  spring,  when  the  heavens  are  beginning  to  be  alive 
with  birds,  man!  D'ye  think  mouths  can  be  filled,  and 
hunger  satisfied  by  laziness  and  sleep?" 

'  'You'll  have  your  say,  Eester, ' '  said  the  husband,  using 
the  provincial  pronunciation  of  America  for  the  name, 
and  regarding  his  noisy  companions  with  a  look  of  habitual 
tolerance  rather  than  of  affection.  "But  the  birds  you 
shall  have,  if  your  own  tongue  don't  frighten  them  to  take 
too  high  a  flight.  Ay,  woman,"  he  continued,  standing 
on  the  very  spot  whence  he  had  so  rudely  banished  Ellen, 


THE   PRAIRIE  103 

which  he  had  by  this  time  gained,  "and  buffalo,  too  if  my 
eye  can  tell  the  animal  at  the  distance  of  a  Spanish  league. ' ' 

"Come  down;  come  down,  and  be  doing,  instead  of 
talking.  A  talking  man  is  no  better  than  a  barking  dog 
Nell  shall  hang  out  the  cloth,  if  any  of  the  red-skins  show 
themselves,  in  time  to  give  you  notice.  But,  Ishmael, 
what  have  you  been  killing,  my  man;  for  it  was  your  rifle 
I  heard  a  few  minutes  agone,  unless  I  have  lost  my  skill 
in  sounds. ' ' 

"Poh!  'twas  to  frighten  the  hawk  you  see  sailing  above 
the  rock." 

"Hawk  indeed!  at  your  time  of  day  to  be  shooting  at 
hawks  and  buzzards,  with  eighteen  open  mouths  to  feed! 
Look  at  the  bee,  and  at  the  beaver,  my  good  man,  and 
learn  to  be  a  provider.  Why,  Ishmael !  I  believe  my  soul, " 
she  continued,  dropping  the  tow  she  was  twisting  on  a 
distaff,  "the  man  is  in  that  tent  ag'in!  More  than  half  his 
time  is  spent  about  the  worthless,  good-for-nothing— 

The  sudden  reappearance  of  her  husband  closed  the 
mouth  of  the  wife;  and,  as  the  former  descended  to  the 
place  where  Esther  had  resumed  her  employment,  she  was 
content  to  grumble  forth  her  dissatisfaction,  instead  of 
expressing  it  in  more  audible  terms. 

The  dialogue  that  now  took  place  between  the  affection 
ate  pair  was  sufficiently  succinct  and  expressive.  The 
woman  was  at  first  a  little  brief  and  sullen  in  her  answers, 
but  care  for  her  family  soon  rendered  her  more  complais 
ant.  As  the  purport  of  the  conversation  was  merely  an 
engagement  to  hunt  during  the  remainder  of  the  day,  in 
order  to  provide  the  chief  necessary  of  life,  we  shall  not 
stop  to  record  it. 

With  this  resolution,  then,  the  squatter  descended  to 
the  plain  and  divided  his  forces  into  two  parts,  one  of 
which  was  to  remain  as  a  guard  with  the  fortress,  and  the 
other  to  accompany  him  to  the  field.  He  warily  included 
Asa  and  Abiram  in  his  own  party,  well  knowing  that  no 
authority  short  of  his  own  was  competent  to  repress  the 
fierce  disposition  of  his  headlong  son,  if  fairly  awakened. 
When  these  arrangements  were  completed,  the  hunters 
sallied  forth,  separating  at  no  great  distance  from  the  rock 
in  order  to  form  a  circle  about  the  distant  herd  of  buffaloes. 


CHAPTER  IX 

"  Priscian  a  little  scratched : 
'Twill  serve." 

—LOVE'S  LABOR  LOST. 

HAVING  made  the  reader  acquainted  with  the  manner 
in  which  Ishmael  Bush  had  disposed  of  his  family,  under 
circumstances  that  might  have  proved  so  embarrassing  to 
most  other  men,  we  shall  again  shift  the  scene  a  few  short 
miles  from  the  place  last  described,  preserving,  however, 
the  due  and  natural  succession  of  time.  At  the  very  mo 
ment  that  the  squatter  and  his  sons  departed  in  the  manner 
mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapter,  two  men  were  intently 
occupied  in  a  swale  that  lay  along  the  borders  of  a  little 
run,  just  out  of  cannon-shot  from  the  encampment,  discus 
sing  the  merits  of  a  savory  bison's  hump,  that  had  been 
prepared  for  their  palates  with  the  utmost  attention  to 
the  particular  merits  of  that  description  of  food.  The 
choice  morsel  had  been  judiciously  separated  from  the 
adjoining  and  less  worthy  parts  of  the  beast,  and  enveloped 
in  the  hairy  coating  provided  by  nature,  it  had  duly  un 
dergone  the  heat  of  the  customary  subterraneous  oven, 
and  was  now  laid  before  its  proprietors  in  all  the  culinary 
glory  of  the  prairies.  So  far  as  richness,  delicacy  and 
wildness  of  flavor,  and  substantial  nourishment  were  con 
cerned,  the  viand  might  well  have  claimed  a  decided 
superiority  over  the  meretricious  cookery  and  labored 
compounds  of  the  most  renowned  artist;  though  the  ser 
vice  of  the  dainty  was  certainly  achieved  in  a  manner  far 
from  artificial.  It  would  appear  that  the  two  fortunate 
mortals,  to  whose  happy  lot  it  fell  to  enjoy  a  meal  in  which 
health  and  appetite  lent  so  keen  a  relish  to  the  exquisite 
food  of  the  American  deserts,  were  far  from  being  insen 
sible  of  the  advantage  they  possessed. 

The  one  to  whose  knowledge  in  the  culinary  art  the 
other  was  indebted  for  his  banquet,  seemed  the  least  dis 
posed  of  the  two  to  profit  by  his  own  skill.  He  ate,  it  is 

104 


THE   PRAIRIE  105 

true,  and  with  a  relish;  but  it  was  always  with  the  mod- 
eration  with  which  age  is  apt  to  temper  the  appetite  No 
such  restraint,  however,  was  imposed  on  the  inclination  of 
iis  companion.  In  the  very  flower  of  his  days  and  in  the 
vigor  of  manhood,  the  homage  that  he  paid  to  the  work  of 
his  more  aged  friend's  hands  was  of  the  most  profound 
and  engrossing  character.  As  one  delicious  morsel  suc 
ceeded  another,  he  rolled  his  eyes  towards  his  companion, 
and  seemed  to  express  that  gratitude  which  he  had  not 
speech  to  utter,  in  looks  of  the  most  benignant  nature. 

"Cut  more  into  the  heart  of  it,  lad,"  said  the  trapper, 
for  it  was  the  venerable  inhabitant  of  those  vast  wastes, 
who  had  served  the  bee-hunter  with  the  banquet  in  ques 
tion;  "cut  more  into  the  center  of  the  piece;  there  you 
will  find  the  genuine  riches  of  natur';  and  that  without 
need  from  spices,  or  any  of  your  biting  mustard,  to  give 
it  a  foreign  relish." 

"If  I  had  but  a  cup  of  metheglin,"  said  Paul,  stopping 
to  perform  the  necessary  operation  of  breathing,  "I  should 
swear  this  was  the  strongest  meal  that  was  ever  placed 
before  the  mouth  of  man!" 

"Ay,  ay,  well  you  may  call  it  strong!"  returned  the 
other,  laughing  after  his  peculiar  manner,  in  pure  satis 
faction  at  witnessing  the  infinite  contentment  of  his  com 
panion;  "strong  it  is,  and  strong  it  makes  him  who  eats 
it!  Here,  Hector,"  tossing  the  patient  hound,  who  was 
watching  his  eye  with  a  wistful  look,  a  portion  of  the 
meat,  "you  have  need  of  strength,  my  friend,  in  your  old 
days  as  well  as  your  master.  Now,  lad,  there  is  a  dog  that 
has  eaten  and  slept  wiser  and  better,  ay,  and  that  of 
richer  food,  than  any  king  of  them  all!  and  why?  Because 
he  has  used  and  not  abused  the  gifts  of  his  Maker.  He 
was  made  a  hound,  and  like  a  hound  has  he  feasted.  Them 
did  He  create  men;  but  they  have  eaten  like  famished 
wolves.  A  good  and  prudent  dog  has  Hector  proved,  and 
never  have  I  found  one  of  his  breed  false  in  nose  or  friend 
ship.  Do  you  know  the  difference  between  the  cookery  of 
the  wilderness  and  that  which  is  found  in  the  settlements? 
No;  I  see  plainly  you  don't,  by  your  appetite;  then  I  will 
tell  you.  The  one  follows  man,  the  other  natur'.  One 
thinks  he  can  add  to  the  gifts  of  the  Creator,  while  the 


106  THE   PRAIRIE 

other  is  humble  enough  to  enjoy  them;  therein  lies  the 
secret. ' ' 

"I  tell  you,  trapper,"  said  Paul,  who  was  very  little 
edified  by  the  morality  with  which  his  associate  saw  fit  to 
season  their  repast,  "that  every  day  while  we  are  in  this 
place,  and  they  are  likely  to  be  many,  I  will  shoot  a  buffalo 
and  you  shall  cook  his  hump!" 

"I  cannot  say  that — I  cannot  say  that.  The  beast  is 
good,  take  him  in  what  part  you  will,  and  it  was  to  be 
food  for  man  that  he  was  fashioned;  but  I  cannot  say  that 
I  will  be  a  witness  and  a  helper  to  the  waste  of  killing 
one  daily." 

"The  devil  a  bit  of  waste  shall  there  be,  old  man.  If 
they  all  turn  out  as  good  as  this,  I  will  engage  to  eat  them 
clean  myself,  even  to  the  hoofs.  How  now,  who  comes 
here!  Some  one  with  a  long  nose,  I  will  answer;  and  one 
that  has  led  him  on  a  true  scent,  if  he  is  following  the 
trail  of  a  dinner. ' ' 

The  individual  who  interrupted  the  conversation,  and 
who  had  elicited  the  foregoing  remark  of  Paul,  was  seen 
advancing  along  the  margin  of  the  run  with  a  deliberate 
pace,  in  a  direct  line  for  the  two  revelers.  As  there  was 
nothing  formidable  nor  hostile  in  his  appearance,  the  bee- 
hunter,  instead  of  suspending  his  operations,  rather  in 
creased  his  efforts,  in  a  manner  which  would  seem  to  imply 
that  he  doubted  whether  the  hump  would  suffice  for  the 
proper  entertainment  of  all  who  were  now  likely  to  par 
take  of  the  delicious  morsel.  With  the  trapper,  however, 
the  case  was  different.  His  more  tempered  appetite  was 
already  satisfied,  and  he  faced  the  new-comer  with  a  look 
of  cordiality  that  plainly  evinced  how  very  opportune  he 
considered  his  arrival. 

"Come  on,  friend,"  he  said,  waving  his  hand,  as  he 
observed  the  stranger  to  pause  a  moment,  apparently  in 
doubt.  "Come  on,  I  say;  if  hunger  be  your  guide,  it  has 
led  you  to  a  fitting  place.  Here  is  meat,  and  this  youth 
can  give  you  corn,  parched  till  it  be  whiter  than  the  up 
land  snow;  come  on,  without  fear.  We  are  not  ravenous 
beasts,  eating  of  each  other,  but  Christian  men,  receiving 
thankfully  that  which  the  Lord  hath  seen  fit  to  give." 

"Venerable  hunter,"  returned  the  Doctor,  for  it  was 


THE   PRAIRIE  107 

no  other  than  the  naturalist,  on  one  of  his  daily  exploring 
expeditions,  "I  rejoice  greatly  at  this  happy  meeting-  we 
areJovers  of  the  same  pursuits,  and  should  be  friends  " 

'Lord,  Lord!"  said  the  old  man,  laughing,  without 
much  deference  to  the  rules  of  decorum,  in  the  philos 
opher's  very  face,  "it  is  the  man  who  wanted  to  make  me 
believe  that  a  name  could  change  the  natur'  of  a  beast! 
Come,  friend,  you  are  welcome,  though  your  notions  are 
a  little  blinded  with  reading  too  many  books.  Sit  ye 
down,  and,  after  eating  of  this  morsel,  tell  me,  if  you 
can,  the  name  of  the  creatur'  that  has  bestowed  on  you  its 
flesh  for  a  meal  ? ' ' 

The  eyes  of  Doctor  Battius  (for  we  deem  it  decorous  to 
give  the  good  man  the  appellation  he  most  preferred)— 
the  eyes  of  Doctor  Battius  sufficiently  denoted  the  satis 
faction  with  which  he  listened  to  this  proposal.  The  exer 
cise  he  had  taken,  and  the  sharpness  of  the  wind,  proved 
excellent  stimulants;  and  Paul  himself  had  hardly  been  in 
better  plight  to  do  credit  to  the  trapper's  cookery,  than 
was  the  lover  of  nature,  when  the  grateful  invitation  met 
his  ears.  Indulging  in  a  small  laugh,  which  his  exertions 
to  repress  reduced  nearly  to  a  simper,  he  took  the  indicated 
seat  by  the  old  man's  side,  and  made  the  customary  dis 
positions  to  commence  his  meal  without  further  ceremony. 

"I  should  be  ashamed  of  my  profession, "  he  said,  swal 
lowing  a  morsel  of  the  hump  with  evident  delight,  slyly 
endeavoring  at  the  same  time  to  distinguish  the  peculiar 
ities  of  the  singed  and  defaced  skin,  "I  ought  to  be 
ashamed  of  my  profession,  were  there  beast  or  bird,  on 
the  continent  of  America,  that  I  could  not  tell  by  some  one 
of  the  many  evidences  which  science  has  enlisted  in  her 
cause.  This — then — the  food  is  nutritious  and  savory — a 
mouthful  of  your  corn,  friend,  if  you  please?" 

Paul,  who  continued  eating  with  increasing  industry, 
looking  askant  not  unlike  a  dog  when  engaged  in  the  same 
agreeable  pursuit,  threw  him  his  pouch,  without  deeming 
it  at  all  necessary  to  suspend  his  own  labors. 

"You  were  saying,  friend,  that  you  have  many  ways  of 
telling  the  creatur'?"  observed  the  attentive  trapper. 

"Many;  many,  and  infallible.  Now,  the  animals  that 
are  carnivorous  are  known  by  their  incisors." 


108  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Their  what?"  demanded  the  trapper. 

"The  teeth  with  which  nature  has  furnished  them  for 
defense,  and  in  order  to  tear  their  food.  Again — 

"Look  you  then  for  the  teeth  of  this  creatur',"  inter 
rupted  the  trapper,  who  was  bent  on  convicting  a  man 
who  had  presumed  to  enter  into  competition  with  himself, 
in  matters  pertaining  to  the  wilds,  of  gross  ignorance; 
"turn  the  piece  round  and  find  your  inside-overs." 

The  Doctor  complied,  and,  of  course,  without  success; 
though  he  profited  by  the  occasion  to  take  another  fruit 
less  glance  at  the  wrinkled  hide. 

"Well,  friend,  do  you  find  the  things  you  need,  before 
you  can  pronounce  the  creatur'  a  duck  or  a  salmon?" 

"I  apprehend  the  entire  animal  is  not  here?" 

"You  may  well  say  as  much,"  cried  Paul,  who  was  now 
compelled  to  pause  from  pure  repletion;  "I  will  answer 
for  some  pounds  of  the  fellow,  weighed  by  the  truest  steel 
yards  west  of  the  Alleghanies.  Still  you  may  make  out  to 
keep  soul  and  body  together  with  what  is  left, ' '  reluctantly 
eyeing  a  piece  large  enough  to  feed  twenty  men,  but 
which  he  felt  compelled  to  abandon  from  satiety;  "cut  in 
nigher  to  the  heart,  as  the  old  man  says,  and  you  will  find 
the  riches  of  the  piece." 

"The  heart!"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  inwardly  delighted 
to  learn  there  was  a  distinct  organ  to  be  submitted  to  his 
inspection.  "Ay,  let  me  see  the  heart— it  will  at  once 
determine  the  character  of  the  animal ;  certes  this  is  not 
the  cor — ay,  sure  enough  it  is — the  animal  must  be  of 
the  order  belluae,  from  its  obese  habits!" 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  long  and  hearty,  but  still  a 
noiseless  fit  of  merriment,  from  the  trapper,  which  was 
considered  so  ill-timed  by  the  offended  naturalist,  as  to 
produce  an  instant  cessation  of  speech,  if  not  stagnation 
of  ideas. 

"Listen  to  his  beasts'  habits  and  belly  orders,"  said  the 
old  man,  delighted  with  the  evident  embarrassment  of  his 
rival;  "and  then  he  says  it  is  not  the  core!  Why,  man, 
you  are  further  from  the  truth  than  you  are  from  the 
settlements,  with  all  your  bookish  I'arning  and  hard 
words;  which  I  have,  once  for  all,  said  cannot  be  under 
stood  by  any  tribe  or  nation  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
Beastly  habits  or  no  beastly  habits,  the  creauir  e  to  be 


THE   PRAIRIE  109 

seen  cropping  the  prairies  by  tens  of  thousands,  and  the 

THPfP   in   vrm-r    Ka«u1    ,'tj  4-Ug  nnra    nf  •     • 


"My  aged  companion,"  said  Obed,  struggling  to  keep 
down  a  rising  irascibility,  that  he  conceived  would  ill 
comport  with  the  dignity  of  his  character,  "your  system 
is  erroneous,  from  the  premises  to  the  conclusion;  and 
your  classification  so  faulty,  as  utterly  to  confound  the 
distinctions  of  science.  The  buffalo  is  not  gifted  with  a 
hump  at  all;  nor  is  his  flesh  savory  and  wholesome  as  I 
must  acknowledge  it  would  seem  the  subject  before  us 
may  well  be  characterized— 

"There  I'm  dead  against  you,  and  clearly  with  the  trap 
per,"  interrupted  Paul  Hover.  "The  man  who  denies 
that  buffalo  beef  is  good,  should  scorn  to  eat  it!"1 

The  Doctor,  whose  observation  of  the  bee-hunter  had 
hitherto  been  exceedingly  cursory,  stared  at  the  new 
speaker  with  a  look  which  denoted  something  like  recog 
nition. 

"The  principal  characteristics  of  your  countenance, 
friend,"  he  said,  "are  familiar;  either  you,  or  some 
other  specimen  of  your  class,  is  known  to  me." 

"I  am  the  man  you  met  in  the  woods  east  of  the  Big 
River,  and  whom  you  tried  to  persuade  to  line  a  yellow 
hornet  to  his  nest;  as  if  my  eye  was  not  too  true  to  mis 
take  any  other  animal  for  a  honey-bee,  in  a  clear  day! 
We  tarried  together  a  week,  as  you  may  remember;  you 
at  your  toads  and  lizards,  and  I  at  my  high  holes  and  hol 
low  trees;  and  a  good  job  we  made  of  it  between  us!  I 
filled  my  tubs  with  the  sweetest  honey  I  ever  sent  to  the 
settlements,  besides  housing  a  dozen  hives;  and  your  bag 
was  near  bursting  with  a  crawling  museum.  I  never  was 
bold  enough  to  put  the  question  to  your  face,  stranger, 
but  I  reckon  you  are  a  keeper  of  curiosities?" 

1  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  tell  the  reader,  that  the  animal  BO  often  alluded  to 
in  this  book,  and  which  is  vulgarly  called  the  buffalo,  is  in  truth  the  bison  ;  hence 
so  many  contretemps  between  the  men  of  the  prairies  and  the  men  of  science. 

2 The  pursuit  of  a  bee-hunter  is  not  uncommon,  on  the  skirts  of  American 
society,  though  it  is  a  little  embellished  here.  When  the  bees  are  seen  suckinjt 
the  flowers,  their  pursuer  contrives  to  capture  one  or  two.  He  then  chooset  • 
proper  spot,  and  suffering:  one  to  escape,  the  insect  invariably  takes  its  flight 
towards  the  hive.  Changing  his  ground  to  a  greater  or  less  distance,  accortlinsr 
to  circumstances,  the  bee-hunter  permits  another  to  escape.  Havinir  watched 
the  courses  of  the  bees,  which  is  technically  called  lining,  he  is  enabled  to  calcu 
late  the  intersecting  angle  of  the  two  lines,  which  is  the  hive. 


110  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Ay!  that  is  another  of  their  wanton  wickednesses!" 
exclaimed  the  trapper.  "They  slay  the  buck,  and  the 
moose,  and  the  wild-cat,  and  all  the  beasts  that  range  the 
woods,  and,  stuffing  them  with  worthless  rags,  and  plac 
ing  eyes  of  glass  into  their  heads,  they  set  them  up  to  be 
stared  at,  and  call  them  thecreatur's  of  the  Lord;  as  if 
any  mortal  effigy  could  equal  the  works  of  his  hand ! ' ' 

"I  know  you  well!"  returned  the  Doctor,  on  whom  the 
plaint  of  the  old  man  produced  no  visible  impression.  "I 
know  you,"  offering  his  hand  cordially  to  Paul;  "it  was 
a  prolific  week,  as  my  herbal  and  catalogues  shall  one  day 
prove.  Ay,  I  remember  you  well,  young  man.  You  are 
of  the  class,  mammalia;  order,  primates;  genus,  homo; 
species,  Kentucky."  Pausing  to  smile  at  his  own  humor, 
the  naturalist  proceeded.  "Since  our  separation,  I  have 
journeyed  far,  having  entered  into  a  compactum  or  agree 
ment  with  a  certain  man  named  Ishmael — 

"Bush!"  interrupted  the  impatient  and  reckless  Paul. 
"By  the  Lord,  trapper,  this  is  the  very  blood-letter  that 
Ellen  told  me  of!" 

"Then  Nelly  has  not  done  me  credit  for  what  I  trust  I 
deserve,"  returned  the  single-minded  Doctor,  "for  I  am 
not  of  the  phlebotomizing  school  at  all ;  greatly  preferring 
the  practise  which  purifies  the  blood  instead  of  abstracting 
it." 

"It  was  a  blunder  of  mine,  good  stranger;  the  girl 
called  you  a  skilful  man." 

"Therein  she  may  have  exceeded  my  merits, ' '  Dr.Battius 
continued,  bowing  with  sufficient  meekness.  "But  Ellen 
is  a  good,  and  a  kind,  and  a  spirited  girl,  too.  A  kind 
and  a  sweet  girl  I  have  ever  found  Nelly  Wade  to  be!" 

"The  devil  you  have!"  cried  Paul,  dropping  the  morsel 
he  was  sucking,  from  sheer  reluctance  to  abandon  the 
hump,  and  casting  a  fierce  and  direct  look  into  the  very 
teeth  of  the  unconscious  physician.  "I  reckon,  stranger, 
you  have  a  mind  to  bag  Ellen,  too!" 

"The  riches  of  the  whole  vegetable  and  animal  world 
united  would  not  tempt  me  to  harm  a  hair  of  her  head!  I 
love  the  child  with  what  may  be  called  amor  naturalis — 
or  rather  paternus — the  affection  of  a  father." 

"Ay;  that,  indeed,  is  more  befitting  the  difference  in 


THE   PRAIRIE  111 

your  years,"  Paul  coolly  rejoined,  stretching  forth  his 
hand  to  regain  the  rejected  morsel.  "You  would  be  no 
better  than  a  drone  at  your  time  of  day,  with  a  young  hive 
to  feed  and  swarm." 

"Yes,  there  is  reason,  because  there  is  natur',  in  what 
he  says,"  observed  the  trapper;  "but,  friend,  you  have 
said  you  were  a  dweller  in  the  camp  of  one  Ishmael  Bush?" 

"True;  it  is  in  virtue  of  a  compactum — 

"I  know  but  little  of  the  virtue  of  packing,  though  I 
follow  trapping,  in  my  old  age,  for  a  livelihood.  They 
tell  me  that  skins  are  well  kept  in  the  new  fashion;  but  it 
is  long  since  I  have  left  off  killing  more  than  I  need  for 
food  and  garments.  I  was  an  eye-witness,  myself,  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  Sioux  broke  into  your  encampment, 
and  drove  off  the  cattle;  stripping  the  poor  man  you  call 
Ishmael  of  his  smallest  hoofs,  counting  even  the  cloven 
feet." 

"Asinus  excepted,"  muttered  the  Doctor,  who  by  this 
time  was  discussing  his  portion  of  the  hump,  in  utter 
forgetfulness  of  all  its  scientific  attributes.  "Asinus 
domesticus  Americanus  excepted." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  so  many  of  them  are  saved,  though 
I  know  not  the  value  of  the  animals  you  name;  which  is 
nothing  uncommon,  seeing  how  long  it  is  that  I  have  been 
out  of  the  settlements.  But  can  you  tell  me,  friend,  what 
the  traveler  carries  under  the  white  cloth  he  guards  with 
teeth  as  sharp  as  a  wolf  that  quarrels  for  the  carcass  the 
hunter  has  left?" 

"You've  heard  of  it!"  exclaimed  the  other,  droppi 
the  morsel  he  was  conveying  to  his  mouth  in  manifest 
surprise. 

"Nay  I  have  heard  nothing;  but  I  have  seen  thec 
and  had'  like  to  have  been  bitten  for^no  greater  crime 
than  wishing  to  know  what  it  covered." 

"Bitten!  then,  after  all,  the  animal  must  be  carnivor 
ous!     It  is  too  tranquil  for  the  Ursus  horridus;  i 
the  Canis  latrans  the  voice  would  betray  it. 
Nelly  Wade  be  so  familar  with  any  of  the  genus 
Venerable  hunter!  the  solitary  animal  confined 
wagon  by  day,  and  in  the  tent  at  night    has  occasi< 
me  more  perplexity  of  mind  than  the  whole  catalo] 


112  THE   PRAIRIE 

quadrupeds  besides;  and  for  this  plain  reason;  I  did  not 
know  how  to  class  it." 

"You  think  it  a  ravenous  beast?" 

"I  know  it  to  be  a  quadruped;  your  own  danger  proves 
it  to  be  carnivorous." 

During  this  broken  explanation  Paul  Hover  had  sat 
silent  and  thoughtful,  regarding  each  speaker  with  deep 
attention.  But,  suddenly  moved  by  the  manner  of  the 
Doctor,  the  latter  had  scarcely  time  to  utter  his  positive 
assertion,  before  the  young  man  bluntly  demanded: 

"And  pray,  friend,  what  may  you  call  a  quadruped?" 

"A  vagary  of  nature,  wherein  she  has  displayed  less  of 
her  infinite  wisdom  than  is  usual.  Could  rotary  levers  be 
substituted  for  two  of  the  limbs,  agreeably  to  the  improve 
ment  in  my  new  order  of  phalangacrura,  which  might  be 
rendered  into  the  vernacular  as  lever-legged,  there  would 
be  a  delightful  perfection  and  harmony  in  the  construc 
tion.  But  as  the  quadruped  is  now  formed,  I  call  it  a 
mere  vagary  of  nature;  no  other  than  a  vagary." 

"Harkee,  stranger!  in  Kentucky  we  are  but  small  dealers 
in  dictionaries.  Vagary  is  as  hard  a  word  to  turn  into 
English  as  quadruped." 

"A  quadruped  is  an  animal  with  four  legs — a  beast." 

"A  beast!  Do  you  then  reckon  that  Ishmael  Bush 
travels  with  a  beast  caged  in  that  wagon?" 

"I  know  it;  and  lend  me  your  ear — not  literally,  friend," 
observing  Paul  to  start  and  look  surprised;  "but  figura 
tively — through  its  functions,  and  you  shall  hear.  I  have 
already  made  known  that,  in  virtue  of  a  compactum,  I 
journey  with  the  aforesaid  Ishmael  Bush;  but  though  I  am 
bound  to  perform  certain  duties  while  the  journey  lasts, 
there  is  no  condition  which  says  that  the  said  journey 
shall  be  sempiternum,  or  eternal.  Now,  though  this 
region  may  scarcely  be  said  to  be  wedded  to  science,  being 
to  all  intents  a  virgin  territory  as  respects  the  inquirer 
into  natural  history,  still  it  is  greatly  destitute  of  the 
treasures  of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  I  should,  therefore, 
have  tarried  some  hundreds  of  miles  more  to  the  eastward, 
were  it  not  for  the  inward  propensity  that  I  feel  to  have 
the  beast  in  question  inspected  and  suitably  described  and 
classed.  For  that  matter,"  he  continued,  dropping  his 


THE   PRAIRIE  113 

voice  like  one  who  imparts  an  important  secret,  "I  am  not 
without  hopes  of  persuading  Ishmael  to  let  me  dissect  it  " 
"You  have  seen  the  creature?" 

" Not  with  the  organs  of  sight;  but  with  much  more 
infallible  instruments  of  vision:  the  conclusions  of  reason, 
and  the  deductions  of  scientific  premises.  I  have  watched 
the  habits  of  the  animal,  young  man;  and  can  fearlessly 
pronounce,  by  evidence  that  would  be  thrown  away  on 
ordinary  observers,  that  it  is  of  vast  dimensions,  inactive, 
possibly  torpid,  of  voracious  appetite,  and,  as  it  now  ap 
pears  by  the  direct  testimony  of  this  venerable  hunter, 
ferocious  and  carnivorous!" 

"I  should  be  better  pleased,  stranger,"  said  Paul,  on 
whom  the  Doctor's  description  was  making  a  very  sensible 
impression,  "to  be  sure  the  creature  was  a  beast  at  all." 
"As  to  that,  if  I  wanted  evidence  of  a  fact,  which  is 
abundantly  apparent  by  the  habits  of  the  animal,  I  have 
the  word  of  Ishmael  himself.  A  reason  can  be  given  for 
my  smallest  deductions.  I  am  not  troubled,  young  man, 
with  a  vulgar  and  idle  curiosity,  but  all  my  aspirations 
after  knowledge,  as  I  humbly  believe,  are  first,  for  the 
advancement  of  learning,  and  secondly,  for  the  benefit  of 
my  fellow-creatures.  I  pined  greatly  in  secret  to  know 
the  contents  of  the  tent,  which  Ishmael  guarded  so  care 
fully,  and  which  he  had  covenanted  that  I  should  swear 
(jurare  per  deos)  not  to  approach  nigher  than  a  defined 
number  of  cubits,  for  a  definite  period  of  time.  Your 
jusjurandum,  or  oath,  is  a  serious  matter,  and  not  to  be 
dealt  in  lightly;  but,  as  my  expedition  depended  on  comply 
ing,  I  consented  to  the  act,  reserving  to  myself  at  all 
times  the  power  of  distant  observation.  It  is  now  some 
ten  days  since  Ishmael,  pitying  the  state  in  which  he  saw 
me,  a  humble  lover  of  science,  imparted  the  fact  that  the 
vehicle  contained  a  beast,  which  he  was  carrying  into  the 
prairies  as  a  decoy,  by  which  he  intends  to  entrap  others 
of  the  same  genus,  or  perhaps  species.  Since  then  my 
task  has  been  reduced  simply  to  watch  the  habits  of  the 
animal,  and  to  record  the  results.  When  we  reach  a  cer 
tain  distance,  where  these  beasts  are  said  to  abound,  I  am 
to  have  the  liberal  examination  of  the  specimen." 

Paul  continued  to  listen,  in  the  most  profound  silence, 


114  THE   PRAIRIE 

until  the  Doctor  concluded  his  singular  but  characteristic 
explanation;  then  the  incredulous  bee-hunter  shook  his 
head,  and  saw  fit  to  reply  by  saying: 

"Stranger,  old  Ishmael  has  burrowed  you  in  the  very 
bottom  of  a  hollow  tree,  where  your  eyes  will  be  of  no 
more  use  than  the  sting  of  a  drone.  I,  too,  know  some 
thing  of  that  very  wagon,  and  I  may  say  that  I  have  lined 
the  squatter  down  into  a  flat  lie.  Harkee,  friend ;  do  you 
think  a  girl  like  Ellen  Wade  would  become  the  companion 
of  a  wild  beast?" 

"Why  not?  why  not?"  repeated  the  naturalist;  "Nelly 
has  a  taste,  and  often  listens  with  pleasure  to  the  treasures 
that  I  am  sometimes  compelled  to  scatter  in  this  desert. 
Why  should  she  not  study  the  habits  of  any  animal,  even 
though  it  were  a  rhinoceros?" 

"Softly,  softly,"  returned  the  equally  positive,  and, 
though  less  scientific,  certainly  on  this  subject  better  in 
structed  bee-hunter;  "Ellen  is  a  girl  of  spirit,  and  one  too 
that  knows  her  own  mind,  or  I'm  much  mistaken;  but 
with  all  her  courage  and  brave  looks,  she  is  no  better  than 
a  woman  after  all.  Haven't  I  often  had  the  girl  crying — 

"You  are  an  acquaintance,  then,  of  Nelly's?" 

"The  devil  a  bit.  But  I  know  woman  is  woman;  and 
all  the  books  in  Kentucky  couldn't  make  Ellen  Wade  go 
into  a  tent  alone  with  a  ravenous  beast!" 

"It  seems  to  me,"  the  trapper  calmly  observed,  "that 
there  is  something  dark  and  hidden  in  this  matter.  I  am 
a  witness  that  the  traveler  likes  none  to  look  into  the  tent, 
and  I  have  proof  more  sure  than  what  either  of  you  can 
lay  claim  to,  that  the  wagon  does  not  carry  the  cage  of  a 
beast.  Here  is  Hector,  come  of  a  breed  with  noses  as  true 
and  faithful  as  a  Hand  that  is  all-powerful  has  made  any 
of  their  kind,  and  had  there  been  a  beast  in  the  place,  the 
hound  would  long  since  have  told  it  to  his  master." 

"Do  you  pretend  to  oppose  a  dog  to  a  man!  brutality 
to  learning!  instinct  to  reason!"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  in 
some  heat.  "In  what  manner,  pray,  can  a  hound  dis 
tinguish  the  habits,  species,  or  even  the  genus  of  an 
animal,  like  reasoning,  learned,  scientific,  triumphant 
man!" 

"In  what  manner!"  coolly  repeated  the  veteran  woods- 


THE   PRAIRIE  115 

man.  "Listen;  and  if  you  believe  that  a  schoolmaster  can 
make  a  quicker  wit  than  the  Lord,  you  shall  be  made  to 
see  how  much  you're  mistaken.  Do  you  not  hear  some 
thing  move  in  the  brake?  It  has  been  cracking  the  twigs 
these  five  minutes.  Now  tell  me  what  the  creatur'  is?" 

"I  hope  nothing  ferocious!"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  who 
still  retained  a  lively  impression  of  his  rencounter  with  the 
Vespertilio  horribilis.  "You  have  rifles,  friends;  would 
it  not  be  prudent  to  prime  them?  for  this  fowling-piece 
of  mine  is  little  to  be  depended  on." 

"There  may  be  reason  in  what  he  says,"  returned  the 
trapper,  so  far  complying  as  to  take  his  piece  from  the 
place  where  it  had  lain  during  the  repast,  and  raising  its 
muzzle  in  the  air.  "Now  tell  me  the  name  of  the  creatur' !" 

"It  exceeds  the  limits  of  earthly  knowledge!  Buffon 
himself  could  not  tell  whether  the  animal  was  a  quadruped, 
or  of  the  order  serpens!  a  sheep,  or  a  tiger!" 

"Then  was  your  buffoon  a  fool  to  my  Hector!  Here, 
pup!  What  is  it,  dog?  Shall  we  run  it  down,  pup,  or 
shall  we  let  it  pass?" 

The  hound,  which  had  already  manifested  to  the  expe 
rienced  trapper,  by  the  tremulous  motion  of  his  ears,  his 
consciousness  of  the  proximity  of  a  strange  animal,  lifted 
his  head  from  his  forepaws  and  slightly  parted  his  lips, 
as  if  about  to  show  the  remnants  of  his  teeth.  But,  sud 
denly  abandoning  his  hostile  purpose,  he  snuffed  the  air 
a  moment,  gaped  heavily,  shook  himself,  and  peaceably 
resumed  his  recumbent  attitude. 

"Now,   Doctor,"  cried  the  trapper,   triumphantly, 
am  well  convinced  there  is  neither  game  nor  ravenous 
beast  in  the  thicket;  and  that  I  call  substantial  knowledge 
to  a  man  who  is  too  old  to  be  a  spendthrift  of  his  strength, 
and  yet  who  would  not  wish  to  be  a  meal  for  a  pantt 

The  dog  interrupted  his  master  by  a  growl,  but 
kept  his  head  crouched  to  the  earth. 

"It  is  a  man!"  exclaimed  the  trapper,  rising, 
man,  if  I  am  a  judge  of  the  creatur's  ways.    There  i, 
little  said  atwixt  the  hound  and  me,  but  we  seldoi 
take  each  other's  meaning!" 

Paul    Hover  sprang  to   his  feet  like   lightning, 
throwing  forward  his  rifle,  he  cried  in  a  voice  of 


116  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Come  forward,  if  a  friend;  if  an  enemy,  stand  ready 
for  the  worst!" 

"A  friend,  a  white  man,  and,  I  hope,  a  Christian," 
returned  a  voice  from  the  thicket;  which  opened  at  the 
same  instant,  and  at  the  next  the  speaker  made  his 
appearance. 


CHAPTER  X 

"  Go  apart,  Adam,  and  thou  shall  hear 
How  he  will  shake  me  up." 

-As  You  LIKE  IT. 

IT  is  well  known,  that  even  long  before  the  immense 
regions  of  Louisiana  changed  their  masters  for  the  second, 
and,  as  it  is  to  be  hoped,  for  the  last  time,  its  unguarded 
territory  was  by  no  means  safe  from  the  inroads  of  white 
adventurers.  The  semi-barbarous  hunters  from  the  Can- 
adas,  the  same  description  of  population,  a  little  more 
enlightened,  from  the  States,  and  the  metiffs  or  half- 
breeds,  who  claimed  to  be  ranked  in  the  class  of  white 
men,  were  scattered  among  the  different  Indian  tribes,  or 
gleaned  a  scanty  livelihood  in  solitude,  amid  the  haunts 
of  the  beaver  and  the  bison;  or,  to  adopt  the  popular 
nomenclature  of  the  country — of  the  buffalo.1 

It  was,  therefore,  no  unusual  thing  for  strangers  to  en 
counter  each  other  in  the  endless  wastes  of  the  west.  By 
signs  which  an  unpractised  eye  would  pass  unobserved,  a 
borderer  knew  when  one  of  his  fellows  was  in  his  vicinity, 
and  he  avoided  or  approached  the  intruder  as  best  com 
ported  with  his  feelings  or  his  interests.  Generally,  these 
interviews  were  pacific;  for  the  whites  had  a  common 
enemy  to  dread,  in  the  ancient  and  perhaps  more  lawful 
occupants  of  the  country;  but  instances  were  not  rare,  in 
which  jealousy  and  cupidity  had  caused  them  to  terminate 
in  scenes  of  the  most  violent  and  ruthless  treachery.  The 
meeting  of  two  hunters  on  the  American  desert,  as  we  find 
it  convenient  sometimes  to  call  this  region,  was  conse 
quently  somewhat  in  the  suspicious  and  wary  manner  in 
which  two  vessels  draw  together  in  a  sea  that  is  known  to 


1  In  addition  to  the  scientific  distinctions  which  mark  the  two  species,  it  mmy 
be  added,  with  due  reference  to  Dr.  Battius,  that  a  much  more  important  partic 
ular  is  the  fact,  that  while  the  former  of  these  animals  is  delicious  and  nourish 
ing  food,  the  latter  is  scarcely  edible. 

117 


118  THE   PRAIRIE 

be  infested  with  pirates.  While  neither  party  is  willing 
to  betray  its  weakness,  by  exhibiting  distrust,  neither  is 
disposed  to  commit  itself  by  any  acts  of  confidence,  from 
which  it  may  be  difficult  to  recede. 

Such  was,  in  some  degree,  the  character  of  the  present 
interview.  The  stranger  drew  nigh  deliberately;  keeping 
his  eyes  steadily  fastened  on  the  movements  of  the  other 
party,  while  he  purposely  created  little  difficulties  to  im 
pede  an  approach  which  might  prove  too  hasty.  On  the 
other  hand,  Paul  stood  playing  with  the  lock  of  his  rifle, 
too  proud  to  let  it  appear  that  three  men  could  manifest 
any  apprehension  of  a  solitary  individual,  and  yet  too 
prudent  to  omit,  entirely,  the  customary  precautions.  The 
principal  reason  of  the  marked  difference  which  the  two 
legitimate  proprietors  of  the  banquet  made  in  the  recep 
tions  of  their  guests,  was  to  be  explained  by  the  entire 
difference  which  existed  in  their  respective  appearances. 

While  the  exterior  of  the  naturalist  was  decidedly  pacific, 
not  to  say  abstracted,  that  of  the  new-comer  was  distin 
guished  by  an  air  of  vigor,  and  a  front  and  step  which  it 
would  not  have  been  difficult  to  have  at  once  pronounced 
to  be  military. 

He  wore  a  forage-cap  of  fine  blue  eloth,  from  which 
depended  a  soiled  tassel  in  gold,  and  which  was  nearly 
buried  in  a  mass  of  exuberant,  curling,  jet-black  hair. 
Around  his  throat  he  had  negligently  fastened  a  stock  of 
black  silk.  His  body  was  enveloped  in  a  hunting-shirt  of 
dark  green,  trimmed  with  the  yellow  fringes  and  orna 
ments  that  were  sometimes  seen  among  the  border-troops 
of  the  confederacy.  Beneath  this,  however,  were  visible 
the  collar  and  lapels  of  a  jacket,  similar  in  color  and  cloth 
to  the  cap.  His  lower  limbs  were  protected  by  buckskin 
leggings,  and  his  feet  by  the  ordinary  Indian  moccasins. 
A  richly  ornamented  and  exceedingly  dangerous  straight 
dirk  was  stuck  in  a  sash  of  red  silk  network;  another 
girdle,  or  rather  belt,  of  uncolored  leather  contained  a 
pair  of  the  smallest  sized  pistols,  in  holsters  nicely  made 
to  fit,  and  across  his  shoulder  was  thrown  a  short,  heavy, 
military  rifle;  its  horn  and  pouch  occupying  the  usual 
places  beneath  his  arms.  At  his  back  he  bore  a  knapsack, 
marked  by  the  well-known  initials  that  have  since  gained 


THE   PRAIRIE  119 

for  the  government  of  the  United  States  the  good-humored 
and  quaint  appellation  of  Uncle  Sam. 

"I  come  in  amity,"  the  stranger  said,  like  one  too  much 
accustomed  to  the  sight  of  arms  to  be  startled  at  the  ludi 
crously  belligerent  attitude  which  Dr.  Battius  had  seen 
fit  to  assume.  ' '  1  come  as  a  friend ;  and  am  one  whose  pur 
suits  and  wishes  will  not  at  all  interfere  with  your  own." 

"Harkee,  stranger,"  said  Paul  Hover,  bluntly;  "do 
you  understand  lining  a  bee  from  this  open  place  into  a 
wood,  distant,  perhaps,  a  dozen  miles?" 

'  'The  bee  is  a  bird  I  have  never  been  compelled  to  seek," 
returned  the  other,  laughing;  "though  I  have  too,  been 
something  of  a  fowler  in  my  time." 

"I  thought  as  much,"  exclaimed  Paul,  thrusting  forth 
his  hand  frankly,  and  with  the  true  freedom  of  manner 
that  marks  an  American  borderer.  "Let  us  cross  fingers. 
You  and  I  will  never  quarrel  about  the  comb,  since  you 
set  so  little  store  by  the  honey.  And  now,  if  your  stomach 
has  an  empty  corner,  and  you  know  how  to  relish  a  gen 
uine  dew-drop  when  it  falls  into  your  very  mouth,  there 
lies  the  exact  morsel  to  put  into  it.  Try  it,  stranger;  and 
having  tried  it,  if  you  don't  call  it  as  snug  a  fit  as  you 
have  made  since—  How .  long  are  you  from  the  settle 
ments,  pray?" 

"  'Tis  many  weeks,  and  I  fear  it  may  be  as  many  more 
before  I  can  return.  I  will,  however,  gladly  profit  by 
your  invitation,  for  I  have  fasted  since  the  rising  of  yes 
terday's  sun,  and  I  know  too  well  the  merits  of  a  bison's 
hump  to  reject  the  food." 

"Ah!  you  are  acquainted  with  the  dish!    Wei 
you  have  the  advantage  of  me,  in  setting  out,  though  I 
think  I  may  say  we  could  now  start  on  equal  ground, 
should  be  the  happiest  fellow  between  Kentucky  and  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  if  I  had  a  snug  cabin,  near  some 
wood  that  was  filled  with  hollow  trees,  just  such  a  hump 
every  day  as  that  for  dinner,  a  load  of  fresh  straw  f 

hives,  and  little  El — 

"Little  what? "demanded  the  stranger,  evidently  amus 
with  the  communicative  and  frank  disposition  of 

hunter. 

"Something  that  I  shall  have  one  day,  and  which  c 


120  THE   PRAIRIE 

cerns  nobody  so  much  as  myself,"  returned  Paul,  picking 
the  flint  of  his  rifle,  and  beginning  very  cavalierly  to 
whistle  an  air  well  known  on  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi. 

During  this  preliminary  discourse  the  stranger  had 
taken  his  seat  by  the  side  of  the  hump,  and  was  already 
making  a  serious  inroad  on  its  relics.  Dr.  Battius,  how 
ever,  watched  his  movements  with  a  jealousy  still  more 
striking  than  the  cordial  reception  which  the  open-hearted 
Paul  had  just  exhibited. 

But  the  doubts,  or  rather  apprehensions,  of  the  natural 
ist  were  of  a  character  altogether  different  from  the  con 
fidence  of  the  bee-hunter.  He  had  been  struck  with  the 
stranger's  using  the  legitimate,  instead  of  the  perverted 
name  of  the  animal  off  which  he  was  making  his  repast; 
and  as  he  had  been  among  the  foremost  himself  to  profit 
by  the  removal  of  the  impediments  which  the  policy  of 
Spain  had  placed  in  the  way  of  all  explorers  of  her  trans 
atlantic  dominions,  whether  bent  on  the  purposes  of  com 
merce,  or,  like  himself,  on  the  more  laudable  pursuits  of 
science,  he  had  a  sufficiency  of  every-day  philosophy  to 
feel  that  the  same  motives  which  had  so  powerfully  urged 
himself  to  his  present  undertaking,  might  produce  a  like 
result  on  the  mind  of  some  other  student  of  nature.  Here, 
then,  was  the  prospect  of  an  alarming  rivalry,  which  bade 
fair  to  strip  him  of  at  least  a  moiety  of  the  just  rewards 
of  all  his  labors,  privations,  and  dangers.  Under  these 
views  of  his  character,  therefore,  it  is  not  at  all  surpris 
ing  that  the  native  meekness  of  the  naturalist's  disposition 
was  a  little  disturbed,  and  that  he  watched  the  proceed 
ings  of  the  other  with  such  a  degree  of  vigilance  as  he 
believed  best  suited  to  detect  his  sinister  designs. 

"This  is  truly  a  delicious  repast,"  observed  the  uncon 
scious  young  stranger,  for  both  young  and  handsome  he 
was  fairly  entitled  to  be  considered;  "either  hunger  has 
given  a  peculiar  relish  to  the  viand,  or  the  bison  may  lay 
claim  to  be  the  finest  of  the  ox  family!" 

"Naturalists,  sir,  are  apt,  when  they  speak  familiarly, 
to  give  the  cow  the  credit  of  the  genus, "  said  Dr.  Battius, 
swelling  with  secret  distrust,  and  clearing  his  throat 
before  speaking,  much  in  the  manner  that  a  duellist 
examines  the  point  of  the  weapon  he  is  about  to  plunge 


THE   PRAIRIE  121 

into  the  body  of  his  foe.  "The  figure  is  more  perfect; 
as  the  bos,  meaning  the  ox,  is  unable  to  perpetuate  his 
kind ;  and  the  bos,  in  its  most  extended  meaning,  or  vacca, 
is  altogether  the  nobler  animal  of  the  two." 

The  Doctor  uttered  this  opinion  with  a  certain  air,  that 
he  intended  should  express  his  readiness  to  come,  at  once, 
to  any  of  the  numerous  points  of  difference  which  he 
doubted  not  existed  between  them;  and  he  now  awaited 
the  blow  of  his  antagonist,  intending  that  his  next  thrust 
should  be  still  more  vigorous.  But  the  young  stranger 
appeared  much  better  disposed  to  partake  of  the  good 
cheer  with  which  he  had  been  so  providentially  provided, 
than  to  take  up  the  cudgels  of  argument  on  this,  or  on  any 
other  of  the  knotty  points  which  are  so  apt  to  furnish  the 
lovers  of  science  with  the  materials  of  a  mental  joust. 

"I  dare  say  you  are  very  right,  sir,"  he  replied,  with 
a  most  provoking  indifference  to  the  importance  of  the 
points  he  conceded.  "I  dare  say  you  are  quite  right;  and 
that  vacca  would  have  been  the  better  word." 

"Pardon  me,  sir;  you  are  giving  a  very  wrong  con 
struction  to  my  language,  if  you  suppose  I  include,  without 
many  and  particular  qualifications,  the  Bibulus  Ameri- 
canus,  in  the  family  of  the  vacca.  For,  as  you  well  know, 
sir — or,  as  I  presume  I  should  say,  Doctor — you  have  the 
medical  diploma,  no  doubt?" 

"You  give  me  credit  for  an  honor  I  cannot  claim," 
interrupted  the  other. 

"An   under-graduate!— or   perhaps  your   degrees  have 
been  taken  in  some  other  of  the  liberal  sciences?" 

"Still  wrong,  I  do  assure  you." 

"Surely,  young  man,  you  have  not  entered  on  this  im 
portant—I  may  say,  this  awful  service,  without  some 
evidence  of  your  fitness  for  the  task!  some  commission  by 
which  you  can  assert  an  authority  to  proceed,  or  by  which 
you  may  claim  an  affinity  and  a  communion  with  your 
fellow- workers  in  the  same  beneficent  pursuits!" 

"I  know  not  by  what  means,  or  for  what  purposes,  you 
have  made  yourself  master  of  my  objects!"  exclaimed  the 
youth,  reddening  and  rising  with  a  quickness  which  man 
ifested  how  little  he  regarded  the  grosser  appetites  wht 
a  subject  nearer  his  heart  was  approached.        Still,  sir. 


122  THE   PRAIRIE 

your  language  is  incomprehensible.  That  pursuit,  which 
in  another  might  perhaps  be  justly  called  beneficent,  is, 
in  me,  a  dear  and  cherished  duty;  though  why  a  commis 
sion  should  be  demanded  or  needed  is,  I  confess,  no  less 
a  subject  of  surprise. ' ' 

"It  is  customary  to  be  provided  with  such  a  document, ' ' 
returned  the  Doctor,  gravely;  "and,  on  all  suitable  occa 
sions,  to  produce  it,  in  order  that  congenial  and  friendly 
minds  may,  at  once,  reject  unworthy  suspicions,  and  step 
ping  over  what  may  be  called  the  elements  of  discourse, 
come  at  once  to  those  points  which  are  desiderata  to 
both." 

"It  is  a  strange  request!"  the  youth  muttered,  turning 
his  frowning  eye  from  one  to  the  other,  as  if  examining 
the  characters  of  his  companions,  with  a  view  to  weigh 
their  physical  powers.  Then,  putting  his  hand  into  his 
bosom,  he  drew  forth  a  small  box,  and,  extending  it  with 
an  air  of  dignity  towards  the  Doctor,  he  continued,  "You 
will  find  by  this,  sir,  that  I  have  some  right  to  travel  in 
a  country  which  is  now  the  property  of  the  American 
States." 

"What  have  wa  here!"  exclaimed  the  naturalist,  open 
ing  the  folds  of  a  large  parchment.  "Why,  this  is  the 
sign-manual  of  the  philosopher,  Jefferson!  The  seal  of 
state!  Countersigned  by  the  minister  of  war!  Why,  this 
is  a  commission  creating  Duncan  Uncas  Middleton  a  cap 
tain  of  artillery!" 

"Of  whom?  of  whom?"  repeated  the  trapper,  who  had 
sat  regarding  the  stranger,  during  the  whole  discourse, 
with  eyes  that  seemed  greedily  to  devour  each  lineament. 
"How  is  the  name?  did  you  call  him  Uncas? — Uncas! 
Was  it  Uncas?" 

"Such  is  my  name,"  returned  the  youth,  a  little 
haughtily.  "It  is  the  appellation  of  a  native  chief,  that 
both  my  uncle  and  myself  bear  with  pride;  for  it  is  the 
memorial  of  an  important  service  done  my  family  by  a 
warrior  in  the  old  wars  of  the  provinces." 

"Uncas!  did  ye  call  him  Uncas?"  repeated  the  trapper, 
approaching  the  youth  and  parting  the  dark  curls  which 
clustered  over  his  brow,  without  the  slightest  resistance 
on  the  part  of  their  wondering  owner.  "Ah!  my  eyes  are 


THE   PRAIRIE  123 

old  and  not  so  keen  as  when  I  was  a  warrior  myself;  but  I 
can  see  the  look  of  the  father  in  the  son!  I  saw  it  when 
he  first  came  nigh;  but  so  many  things  have  since  passed 
before  my  failing  sight,  that  I  could  not  name  the  place 
where  I  had  met  his  likeness!  Tell  me,  lad,  by  what  name 
is  your  father  known?" 

"He  was  an  officer  of  the  States  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution,  and  of  my  own  name  of  course;  my  mother's 
brother  was  called  Duncan  Uncas  Heyward." 

"Still  Uncas!  still  Uncas!"  echoed  the  other,  trembling 
with  eagerness.  "And  his  father?" 

"Was  called  the  same,  without  the  application  of  the 
native  chief.  It  was  to  him,  and  to  my  grandmother,  that 
the  service  of  which  I  have  just  spoken  was  rendered." 

"I  knowed  it!  I  knowed  it!"  shouted  the  old  man,  in 
his  tremulous  voice,  his  rigid  features  working  power 
fully,  as  if  the  names  the  other  mentioned  awakened  some 
long  dormant  emotions,  connected  with  the  events  of  an 
anterior  age.  "I  knowed  it!  son  or  grandson,  it  is  all 
the  same!  it  is  the  blood,  and  'tis  the  look!  Tell  me,  is 
he  they  called  Duncan,  without  the  Uncas — is  he  living?" 

The  young  man  shook  his  head  sorrowfully,  as  he  replied 
in  the  negative. 

"He  died  full  of  days  and  of  honors.  Beloved,  happy, 
and  bestowing  happiness!" 

"Full  of  days!"  repeated  the  trapper,  looking  down  at 
his  own  meagre,  but  still  muscular  hands.  "Ah!  he  lived 
in  the  settlements,  and  was  wise  only  after  their  fashions. 
But  you  have  often  seen  him;  and  you  have  heard  him 
discourse  of  Uncas,  and  of  the  wilderness?" 

"Often!  he  was  then  an  officer  of  the  king;  but  when 
the  war  took  place  between  the  crown  and  her  colonies, 
my  grandfather  did  not  forget  his  birthplace,  but  threy 
off  the  empty  allegiance  of  names,  and  was  true  to  his 
proper  country;  he  fought  on  the  side  of  liberty." 

"There  was  reason  in  it,  and  what  is  better,   there 
was   natur'!     Come,  sit  ye  down   beside  me,  lad;    sit 
ye  down,  and  tell  me  of  what  your  grand  'ther  used 
speak  when  his  mind  dwelt  on  the  wonders  of  the  wildei 
ness  ' ' 

The  youth  smiled,  no  less  at  the  importunity  than  at  the 


124  THE   PRAIRIE 

interest  manifested  by  the  old  man;  but  as  he  found  there 
was  no  longer  the  least  appearance  of  any  violence  being 
contemplated,  he  unhesitatingly  complied. 

"Give  it  all  to  the  trapper,  by  rule,  and  by  figures  of 
speech, ' '  said  Paul,  very  coolly  taking  his  seat  on  the  other 
side  of  the  young  soldier.  "It  is  the  fashion  of  old  age 
to  relish  these  ancient  traditions,  and  for  that  matter  I 
can  say  that  I  don't  dislike  to  listen  to  them  myself." 

Middleton  smiled  again,  and  perhaps  with  a  slight  air 
of  derision;  but  good-naturedly  turning  to  the  trapper  he 
continued: 

"It  is  a  long,  and  might  prove  a  painful  story.  Blood 
shed  and  all  the  horrors  of  Indian  cruelty  and  of  Indian 
warfare  are  fearfully  mingled  in  the  narrative. ' ' 

"Ay,  give  it  all  to  us,  stranger,"  continued  Paul;  "we 
are  used  to  these  matters  in  Kentuck,  and  I  must  say  I 
think  a  story  none  the  worse  for  having  a  few  scalps  in 
it." 

"But  he  told  you  of  Uncas,  did  he?"  resumed  the  trap 
per,  without  regarding  the  slight  interruptions  of  the  bee- 
hunter,  which  amounted  to  no  more  than  a  sort  of  by-play. 
"And  what  thought  he  and  said  he  of  the  lad,  in  his 
parlor,  with  the  comforts  and  ease  of  the  settlements  at 
his  elbow?" 

"I  doubt  not  he  used  a  language  similar  to  that  he 
would  have  adopted  in  the  woods,  and  had  he  stood  face 
to  face  with  his  friend— 

"Did  he  call  the  savage  his  friend;  the  poor,  naked, 
painted  warrior?  He  was  not  too  proud,  then,  to  call  the 
Indian  his  friend?" 

"He  even  boasted  of  the  connection;  and,  as  you  have 
already  heard,  bestowed  a  name  on  his  first-born,  which  is 
likely  to  be  handed  down  as  an  heirloom  among  the  rest 
of  his  descendants." 

"It  was  well  done;  like  a  man;  ay!  and  like  a  Chris 
tian,  too!  He  used  to  say  the  Delaware  was  swift  of  foot 
— did  he  remember  that?" 

"As  the  antelope!  Indeed,  he  often  spoke  of  him  by 
the  appellation  of  Le  Cerf  Agile,  a  name  he  had  obtained 
by  his  activity." 

"And  bold,  and  fearless,  lad?"  continued  the  trapper, 


THE   PRAIRIE  125 

looking  up  into  the  eyes  of  his  companion,  with  a  wist- 
fulness  that  bespoke  the  delight  he  received  in  listening 
to  the  praises  of  one,  whom  it  was  so  evident  he  had  once 
tenderly  loved. 

"Brave  as  a  blooded  hound!  Without  fear!  He  always 
quoted  Uncas  and  his  father,  who  from  his  wisdom  was 
called  the  Great  Serpent,  as  models  of  heroism  and  con 
stancy.  ' ' 

"He  did  them  justice!  he  did  them  justice!  Truer  men 
were  not  to  be  found  in  tribe  or  nation,  be  their  skins  of 
what  color  they  might.  I  see  your  grand'ther  was  just, 
and  did  his  duty,  too,  by  his  offspring!  'Twas  a  perilous 
time  he  had  of  it,  among  them  hills,  and  nobly  did  he 
play  his  own  part!  Tell  me,  lad,  or  officer,  I  should  say- 
since  officer  you  be — was  this  all?" 

"Certainly  not;  it  was,  as  I  have  said,  a  fearful  tale 
full  of  moving  incidents,  and  the  memories  both  of  my 
grandfather  and  of  my  grandmother — 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  the  trapper,  tossing  a  hand  into  the 
air  as  his  whole  countenance  lighted  with  the  recollections 
the  name  revived.  "They  called  her  Alice!  Elsie  or 
Alice;  'tis  all  the  same.  A  laughing,  playful  child  she 
was,  when  happy;  and  tender  and  weeping  in  her  misery! 
Her  hair  was  shining  and  yellow,  as  the  coat  of  the  young 
fawn,  and  her  skin  clearer  than  the  purest  water  that 
drips  from  the  rock.  Well  do  I  remember  her!  I  remember 
her  right  well!" 

The  lip  of  the  youth  slightly  curled,  and  he  regarded  the 
old  man  with  an  expression  which  might  easily  have  been 
construed  into  a  declaration  that  such  were  not  his  own 
recollections  of  his  venerable  and  revered  ancestor,  though 
it  would  seem  he  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  say  as  much 
in  wcrds.  He  was  content  to  answer: 

"They  both  retained  impressions  of  the  dangers  they 
had  passed,  by  far  too  vivid  easily  to  lose  the  recollection 
of  any  of  their  fellow-actors." 

The  trapper  looked  aside,  and  seemed  to  struggle  with 
some  deeply  innate  feeling;  then,  turning  again  towards 
his  companion,  though  his  honest  eyes  no  longer  dwelt 
with  the  same  open  interest,  as  before,  on  the  countenance 
of  the  other,  he  continued : 


126  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Did  he  tell  you  of  them  all?  Were  they  all  red-skins, 
but  himself  and  the  daughters  of  Munro?" 

"No.  There  was  a  white  man  associated  with  the  Del- 
awares.  A  scout  of  the  English  army,  but  a  native  of  the 
provinces." 

"A  drunken,  worthless  vagabond,  like  most  of  his  color 
who  harbor  with  the  savages,  I  warrant  you!" 

"Old  man,  your  gray  hairs  should  caution  you  against 
slander.  The  man  I  speak  of  was  of  great  simplicity  of 
mind,  but  of  sterling  worth.  Unlike  most  of  those  who 
live  a  border  life  he  united  the  better  instead  of  the  worst 
qualities  of  the  two  people.  He  was  a  man  endowed  with 
the  choicest  and  perhaps  rarest  gift  of  nature,  that  of 
distinguishing  good  from  evil.  His  virtues  were  those  of 
simplicity,  because  such  were  the  fruits  of  his  habits,  as 
were  indeed  his  very  prejudices.  In  courage  he  was  the 
equal  of  his  red  associates;  in  warlike  skill,  being  better 
instructed,  their  superior.  'In  short,  he  was  a  noble  shoot 
from  the  stock  of  human  nature,  which  never  could  attain 
its  proper  elevation  and  importance,  for  no  other  reason 
that  because  it  grew  in  the  forest.'  Such,  old  hunter, 
were  the  very  words  of  my  grandfather,  when  speaking 
of  the  man  you  imagine  so  worthless!" 

The  eyes  of  the  trapper  had  sunk  to  the  earth,  as  the 
stranger  delivered  this  character  in  the  ardent  tones  of 
generous  youth.  He  played  with  the  ears  of  his  hound, 
fingered  his  own  rustic  garment,  and  opened  and  shut  the 
pan  of  his  rifle,  with  hands  that  trembled  in  a  manner 
that  would  have  implied  their  total  unfitness  to  wield  the 
weapon.  When  the  other  had  concluded  he  hoarsely  added : 

"Your  grand'ther  didn't  then  entirely  forget  the  white 
man!" 

"So  far  from  that,  there  are  already  three  among  us, 
who  have  also  names  derived  from  that  scout. ' ' 

'  'A  name,  did  you  say ? ' '  exclaimed  the  old  man,  starting; 
"what,  the  name  of  the  solitary,  unl'arned  hunter?  Do 
the  great,  and  the  rich,  and  the  honored,  and,  what  is 
better  still,  the  just,  do  they  bear  his  very,  actual  name?" 

"It  is  borne  by  my  brother,  and  by  two  of  my  cousins, 
whatever  may  be  their  titles  to  be  described  by  the  terms 
you  have  mentioned." 


THE   PRAIRIE  127 

"Do  you  mean  the  actual  name  itself;  spelt  with  the 
beginning  with  an  N  and  ending  with 


"Exactly  the  same,  '  '  the  youth  smilingly  replied.   "No 
no,  we  have  forgotten  nothing  that  was  his.     I  have  at 
this  moment  a  dog  brushing  a  deer,  not  far  from  this 
who  is  come  of  a  hound  that  very  scout  sent  as  a  present 
after  his  friends,  and  which  was  of  the  stock  he  always 
used  himself;  a  truer  breed,  in  nose  and  foot,  is  not  to  be 
found  in  the  wide  Union." 

"Hector!"  said  the  old  man,  struggling  to  conquer  an 
emotion  that  nearly  suffocated  him,  and  speaking  to  his 
hound  in  the  sort  of  tones  he  would  have  used  to  a  child, 
"do  ye  hear  that,  pup!  your  kin  and  blood  are  in  the 
prairies!  A  name  —  it  is  wonderful  —  very  wonderful!" 

Nature  could  endure  no  more.  Overcome  by  a  flood  of 
unusual  and  extraordinary  sensations,  and  stimulated  by 
tender  and  long  dormant  recollections,  strangely  and  un 
expectedly  revived,  the  old  man  had  just  self-command 
enough  to  add,  in  a  voice  that  was  hollow  and  unnatural, 
through  the  efforts  he  made  to  command  it: 

"Boy,  I  am  that  scout;  a  warrior  once,  a  miserable 
trapper  now!"  when  the  tears  broke  over  his  wasted 
cheeks,  out  of  fountains  that  had  long  been  dried,  and, 
sinking  his  face  between  his  knees,  he  covered  it  decently 
with  his  buckskin  garment,  and  sobbed  aloud. 

The  spectacle  produced  correspondent  emotions  in  his 
companions.  Paul  Hover  had  actually  swallowed  each 
syllable  of  the  discourse  as  they  fell  alternately  from  the 
different  speakers,  his  feelings  keeping  equal  pace  with 
the  increasing  interest  of  the  scene.  Unused  to  such 
strange  sensations,  he  was  turning  his  face  on  every  side 
of  him,  to  avoid  he  knew  not  what,  until  he  saw  the  tears 
and  heard  the  sobs  of  the  old  man,  when  he  sprang  to  his 
feet,  and  grappling  his  guest  fiercely  by  the  throat,  he 
demanded  by,,what  authority  he  had  made  his  aged  com 
panion  weep.  A  flash  of  recollection  crossing  his  brain  at 
the  same  instant,  he  released  his  hold,  and,  stretching 
forth  an  arm  in  the  very  wantonness  of  gratification,  he 
seized  the  Doctor  by  the  hair,  which  instantly  revealed  its 
artificial  formation,  by  cleaving  to  his  hand,  leaving  the 


128  THE   PRAIRIE 

white  and  shining  poll  of  the  naturalist  with  a  covering 
no  warmer  than  the  skin. 

"What  think  you  of  that,  Mr.  Bug-gatherer?"  he  rather 
shouted  than  cried;  "is  not  this  a  strange  bee  to  line  into 
his  hole?" 

"  'Tis  remarkable!  wonderful!  edifying!"  returned  the 
lover  of  nature,  good-humoredly  recovering  his  wig,  with 
twinkling  eyes  and  a  husky  voice.  "  'Tis  rare  and  com 
mendable!  Though  I  doubt  not  in  the  exact  order  of 
causes  and  effects. ' ' 

With  this  sudden  outbreaking,  however,  the  commotion 
instantly  subsided;  the  three  spectators  clustering  around 
the  trapper  with  a  species  of  awe  at  beholding  the  tears 
of  one  so  aged. 

"It  must  be  so,  or  how  could  he  be  so  familiar  with  a 
history  that  is  little  known  beyond  my  own  family?"  at 
length  the  youth  observed,  not  ashamed  to  acknowledge 
how  much  he  had  been  affected,  by  unequivocally  drying 
his  own  eyes. 

'  'True ! ' '  echoed  Paul ;  "if  you  want  any  more  evidence  I 
will  swear  to  it!  I  know  every  word  of  it  myself  to  be 
true  as  the  gospel ! ' ' 

"And  yet  we  had  long  supposed  him  dead!"  continued 
the  soldier.  "My  grandfather  had  filled  his  days  with 
honor,  and  he  had  believed  himself  the  junior  of  the  two." 

"It  is  not  often  that  youth  has  an  opportunity  of  thus 
looking  down  on  the  weakness  of  age ! ' '  the  trapper  ob 
served,  raising  his  head,  and  looking  around  him  with 
composure  and  dignity.  "That  I  am  still  here,  young 
man,  is  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord,  who  has  spared  me  until 
I  have  seen  fourscore  long  and  laborious  years,  for  his  own 
secret  ends.  That  I  am  the  man  I  say,  you  need  not  doubt; 
for  why  should  I  go  to  my  grave  with  so  cheap  a  lie  in  my 
mouth?" 

"I  do  not  hesitate  to  believe;  I  only  marvel  that  it 
should  be  so!  But  why  do  I  find  you,  venerable  and  excel 
lent  friend  of  my  parents,  in  these  wastes,  so  far  from  the 
comforts  and  safety  of  the  lower  country?" 

"I  have  come  into  these  plains  to  escape  the  sound  of 
the  axe;  for  here,  surely,  the  chopper  can  never  follow! 
But  I  may  put  the  like  question  to  yourself.  Are  you  of 


THE   PRAIRIE  129 

the  party  which  the  States  have  sent  into  their  new  pur 
chase,  to  look  after  the  natur'  of  the  bargain  they  have 
made?" 

"I  am  not.  Lewis  is  making  his  way  up  the  river,  some 
hundreds  of  miles  from  this.  I  come  on  a  private  adven 
ture." 

"Though  it  is  no  cause  of  wonder  that  a  man  whose 
strength  and  eyes  have  failed  him  as  a  hunter,  should  be 
seen  nigh  the  haunts  of  the  beaver,  using  a  trap  instead 
of  a  rifle,  it  is  strange  that  one  so  young  and  prosperous, 
and  bearing  the  commission  of  the  Great  Father,  should 
be  moving  among  the  prairies,  without  even  a  camp-color- 
man  to  do  his  biddings!" 

"You  would  think  my  reasons  sufficient  did  you  know 
them,  as  know  them  you  shall,  if  you  are  disposed  to  listen 
to  my  story.  I  think  you  all  honest,  and  men  who  would 
rather  aid  than  betray  one  bent  on  a  worthy  object." 

"Come,  then,  and  tell  us  at  your  leisure, "  said  the  trap 
per,  seating  himself,  and  beckoning  to  the  youth  to  follow 
his  example.  The  latter  willingly  complied;  and  after 
Paul  and  the  Doctor  had  disposed  of  themselves  to  their 
several  likings,  the  new  comer  entered  into  a  narrative  of 
the  singular  reasons  which  had  led  him  so  far  into  the 
deserts. 


CHAPTER  XI 

"So  foul  a  sky  clears  not  without  a  storm." 

-KlNq  JOHN. 

IN  the  meantime  the  industrious  and  irreclaimable  hours 
continued  their  labors.  The  sun,  which  had  been  strug 
gling  through  such  masses  of  vapor  throughout  the  day, 
fell  slowly  into  a  streak  of  clear  sky,  and  thence  sank 
gloriously  into  the  gloomy  wastes,  as  he  is  wont  to  settle 
into  the  waters  of  the  ocean.  The  vast  herds  which  had 
been  grazing  among  the  wild  pastures  of  the  prairies, 
gradually  disappeared,  and  the  endless  flocks  of  aquatic 
birds,  that  were  pursuing  their  customary  annual  journey 
from  the  virgin  lakes  of  the  north  towards  the  gulf  of 
Mexico,  ceased  to  fan  that  air,  which  had  now  become 
loaded  with  dew  and  vapor.  In  short,  the  shadows  of  night 
fell  upon  the  rock,  adding  the  mantle  of  darkness  to  the 
other  dreary  accompaniments  of  the  place. 

As  the  light  began  to  fail,  Esther  collected  her  younger 
children  at  her  side,  and  placing  herself  on  a  projecting 
point  of  her  insulated  fortress,  she  sat  patiently  awaiting 
the  return  of  the  hunters.  Ellen  Wade  was  at  no  great 
distance,  seeming  to  keep  a  little  aloof  from  the  anxious 
circle,  as  if  willing  to  mark  the  distinction  which  existed 
in  their  characters. 

"Your  uncle  is,  and  always  will  be,  a  dull  calculator, 
Nell,"  observed  the  mother,  after  a  long  pause  in  a  con 
versation  that  had  turned  on  the  labors  of  the  day;  "a 
lazy  hand  at  figures  and  foreknowledge  is  that  said  Ish- 
mael  Bush!  Here  he  sat  lolloping  about  the  rock  from 
light  till  noon, doing  nothing  but  scheme — scheme — scheme 
— with  seven  as  noble  boys  at  his  elbows  as  woman  ever 
gave  to  man;  and  what's  the.upshot?  why,  night  is  setting 
in  and  his  needful  work  not  yet  ended." 

"It  is  not  prudent,  certainly,  aunt,"  Ellen  replied, 

130 


THE   PRAIRIE  131 

with  a  vacancy  in  her  air,  that  proved  how  little  she  knew 
what  she  was  saying;  "and  it  is  setting  a  very  bad  example 
to  his  sons. 

"Hoity  toity,  girl !  who  has  reared  you  up  as  a  judge  over 
your  elders,  ay,  and  your  betters,  too!  I  should  like  to 
see  the  man  on  the  whole  frontier,  who  sets  a  more  honest 
example  to  his  children  than  this  same  Ishmael  Bush! 
Show  me,  if  you  can,  Miss  Fault-finder,  but  not  fault- 
mender,  a  set  of  boys  who  will,  on  occasion,  sooner  chop 
a  piece  of  logging  and  dress  it  for  the  crop,  than  my  own 
children;  though  I  say  it  myself,  who,  perhaps,  should  be 
silent;  or  a  cradler  that  knows  better  how  to  lead  a  gang 
of  hands  through  a  field  of  wheat,  leaving  a  cleaner  stubble 
in  his  track,  than  my  own  good  man!  Then,  as  a  father, 
he  is  generous  as  a  lord;  for  his  sons  have  only  to  name 
the  spot  where  they  would  like  to  pitch,  and  he  gives  'em 
a  deed  of  the  plantation,  and  no  charge  for  papers  is  ever 
made!" 

As  the  wife  of  the  squatter  concluded,  she  raised  a  hol 
low,  taunting  laugh,  that  was  echoed  from  the  mouths  of 
several  juvenile  imitators,  whom  she  was  training  to  a 
life  as  shiftless  and  lawless  as  her  own;  but  which,  not 
withstanding  its  uncertainty,  was  not  without  its  secret 
charms. 

"Holloa!  old  Eester,"  shouted  the  well-known  voice  of 
her  husband,  from  the  plain  beneath;  "ar'  you  keeping 
your  junkets,  while  we  are  finding  you  in  venison  and 
buffalo  beef?  Come  down — come  down,  old  girl,  with  all 
your  young,  and  lend  us  a  hand  to  carry  up  the  meat;  why, 
what  a  frolic  you  ar'  in,  woman!  Come  down,  come  down, 
for  the  boys  are  at  hand,  and  we  have  work  here  for 
double  your  number." 

Ishmael  might  have  spared  his  lungs  more  than  a  moiety 
of  the  effort  they  were  compelled  to  make  in  order  that  he 
should  be  heard.  He  had  hardly  uttered  the  name  of  his 
wife,  before  the  whole  of  the  crouching  circle  rose  in  a 
body,  and  tumbling  over  each  other,  they  precipitated 
themselves  down  the  dangerous  passes  of  the  rock  with 
ungovernable  impatience.  Esther  followed  the  young  fry 
with  a  more  measured  gait,  nor  did  Ellen  deem  it  wise,  or 
rather  discreet,  to  remain  behind.  Consequently,  the 


132  THE   PRAIRIE 

whole  were  soon  assembled  at  the  base  of  the  citadel,  on 
the  open  plain. 

Here  the  squatter  was  found  staggering  under  the  weight 
of  a  fine,  fat  buck,  attended  by  one  or  two  of  his  younger 
sons.  Abiram  quickly  appeared,  and  before  many  minutes 
had  elapsed,  most  of  the  hunters  dropped  in,  singly  and  in 
pairs,  each  man  bringing  with  him  some  fruits  of  his 
prowess  in  the  field. 

"The  plain  is  free  from  red-skins,  to-night  at  least," 
said  Ishmael,  after  the  bustle  of  reception  had  a  little 
subsided:  "for  I  have  scoured  the  prairie  for  many  long 
miles,  on  my  own  feet,  and  I  call  myself  a  judge  of  the 
print  of  an  Indian  moccasin.  So,  old  woman,  you  can  give 
us  a  few  steaks  of  the  venison,  and  then  we  will  sleep  on 
the  day's  work." 

"I'll  not  swear  there  are  no  savages  near  us,"  said 
Abiram.  "I,  too,  know  something  of  the  trail  of  a  red 
skin;  and,  unless  my  eyes  have  lost  some  of  their  sight,  I 
would  swear,  boldly,  that  there  ar'  Indians  at  hand.  But 
wait  till  Asa  comes  in.  He  passed  the  spot  where  I  found 
the  marks,  and  the  boy  knows  something  of  such  matters, 
too." 

"Ay,  the  boy  knows  too  much  of  many  things, ' '  returned 
Ishmael,  gloomily.  "It  will  be  better  for  him  when  he 
thinks  he  knows  less.  But  what  matters  it,  Hetty,  if  all 
the  Sioux  tribes  west  of  the  Big  River  are  within  a  mile 
of  us;  they  will  find  it  no  easy  matter  to  scale  this  rock 
in  the  teeth  of  ten  bold  men." 

"Call  'em  twelve  at  once,  Ishmael;  call  'em  twelve!" 
cried  his  termagant  assistant.  "For  if  your  moth-gather 
ing,  bug-hunting  friend  can  be  counted  a  man,  I  beg  you 
will  set  me  down  as  two.  I  will  not  turn  my  back  to  him 
with  the  rifle  or  the  shot-gun;  and  for  courage!  the  year 
ling  heifer,  that  them  skulking  devils  the  Tetons  stole,  was 
the  biggest  coward  among  us  all,  and  after  her  came  your 
driveling  Doctor.  Ah!  Ishmael,  you  rarely  attempt  a 
regular  trade  but  you  come  out  the  loser;  and  this  man, 
I  reckon,  is  the  hardest  bargain  among  them  all !  Would 
you  think  it?  the  fellow  ordered  me  a  blister  around  my 
mouth,  because  I  complained  of  a  pain  in  the  foot!" 

"It  is  a  pity,  Eester, "  the  husband  coolly  answered, 


THE   PRAIRIE  133 

"that  you  did  not  take  it;  I  reckon  that  it  would  have 
done  considerable  good.  But,  boys,  if  it  should  turn  out 
as  Abiram  thinks,  that  there  are  Indians  near  us,  we  may 
have  to  scamper  up  the  rock,  and  lose  our  suppers  after 
all ;  therefore,  we  will  make  sure  of  the  game  and  talk  over 
the  performances  of  the  Doctor  when  we  have  nothing 
better  to  do." 

The  hint  was  taken;  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  exposed 
situation  in  which  the  family  was  collected,  was  exchanged 
for  the  more  secure  elevation  of  the  rock.  Here  Esther 
busied  herself,  working  and  scolding  with  equal  industry, 
until  the  repast  was  prepared ;  when  she  summoned  her 
husband  to  his  meal  in  a  voice  as  sonorous  as  that  with 
which  the  Imaum  reminds  the  faithful  of  a  more  important 
duty. 

When  each  had  assumed  his  proper  and  customary  place 
around  the  smoking  viands,  the  squatter  set  the  example 
by  beginning  to  partake  of  a  delicious  venison  steak,  pre 
pared  like  the  hump  of  the  bison,  with  a  skill  that  rather 
increased  than  concealed  its  natural  properties.  A  painter 
would  gladly  have  seized  the  moment  to  transfer  the  wild 
and  characteristic  scene  to  the  canvas. 

The  reader  will  remember  that  the  citadel  of  Ishmael 
stood  insulated,  lofty,  ragged,  and  nearly  inaccessible.  A 
bright,  flashing  fire  that  was  burning  on  the  center  of  its 
summit,  and  around  which  the  busy  group  was  clustered, 
lent  it  the  appearance  of  some  tall  Pharos  placed  in  the 
center  of  the  deserts,  to  light  such  adventurers  as  wandered 
through  their  broad  wastes.  The  flashing  flame  gleamed 
from  one  sunburnt  countenance  to  another,  exhibiting 
every  variety  of  expression,  from  the  juvenile  simplicity 
of  the  children,  mingled,  as  it  was,  with  a  shade  of  the 
wildness  peculiar  to  their  semi-barbarous  lives,  to  the  dull 
and  immovable  apathy  that  dwelt  on  the  features  of  the 
squatter  when  unexcited.  Occasionally  a  gust  of  wind 
would  fan  the  embers;  and,  as  a  brighter  light  shot  up 
wards,  the  little  solitary  tent  was  seen  as  it  were  sus 
pended  in  the  gloom  of  the  upper  air.  All  beyond  was 
enveloped,  as  usual  at  that  hour,  in  an  impenetrable  body 
of  dsrkriGSS 

"It  is  unaccountable  that  Asa  should  choose  to  be  out 


134  THE   PRAIRIE 

of  the  way  at  such  a  time  as  this,"  Esther  pettishly  ob 
served.  "When  all  is  finished  and  to  rights,  we  shall  have 
the  boy  coming  up,  grumbling  for  his  meal,  and  hungry 
as  a  bear  after  his  winter's  nap.  His  stomach  is  as  true 
as  the  best  clock  in  Kentucky,  and  seldom  wants  winding 
up  to  tell  the  time,  whether  of  day  or  night.  A  desperate 
eater  is  Asa,  when  a-hungered  by  a  little  work!" 

Ishmael  looked  sternly  around  the  circle  of  his  silent 
sons,  as  if  to  see  whether  any  among  them  would  presume 
to  say  aught  in  favor  of  the  absent  delinquent.  But  now, 
when  no  exciting  causes  existed  to  arouse  their  slumber 
ing  tempers,  it  seemed  to  be  too  great  an  effort  to  enter 
on  the  defense  of  their  rebellious  brother.  Abiram,  how 
ever,  who  since  the  pacification,  either  felt,  or  affected  to 
feel,  a  more  generous  interest  in  his  late  adversary,  saw  fit 
to  express  an  anxiety,  to  which  the  others  were  strangers. 

"It  will  be  well  if  the  boy  has  escaped  the  Tetons!"  he 
muttered.  "I  should  be  sorry  to  have  Asa,  who  is  one  of 
the  stoutest  of  our  party,  both  in  heart  and  hand,  fall 
into  the  power  of  the  red  devils." 

"Look  to  yourself,  Abiram;  and  spare  your  breath,  if 
you  can  use  it  only  to  frighten  the  woman  and  her  hud 
dling  girls.  You  have  whitened  the  face  of  Ellen  Wade 
already;  who  looks  as  pale  as  if  she  was  staring  to-day  at 
the  very  Indians  you  name,  when  I  was  forced  to  speak  to 
her  through  the  rifle,  because  I  couldn't  reach  her  ears 
with  my  tongue.  How  was  it,  Nell!  you  have  never  given 
the  reason  of  your  deafness?" 

The  color  of  Ellen's  cheek  changed  as  suddenly  as  the 
squatter's  piece  had  flashed  on  the  occasion  to  which  he 
alluded,  the  burning  glow  suffusing  her  features,  until  it 
even  mantled  her  throat  with  its  fine  healthful  tinge.  She 
hung  her  head  abashed,  but  did  not  seem  to  think  it 
needful  to  reply. 

Ishmael,  too  sluggish  to  pursue  the  subject,  or  content 
with  the  pointed  allusion  he  had  just  made,  rose  from  his 
seat  on  the  rock,  and  stretching  his  heavy  frame,  like  a 
well-fed  and  fattened  ox,  he  announced  his  intention  to 
sleep.  Among  a  race  who  lived  chiefly  for  the  indulgence 
of  the  natural  wants,  such  a  declaration  could  not  fail  of 
meeting  with  sympathetic  dispositions.  One  after  another 


THE   PRAIRIE  135 

disappear^,  each  seeking  his  or  her  rude  dormitory;  and 
before  many  minutes,  Esther,  who  by  this  time  had  scolded 
the  younger  fry  to  sleep,  found  herself,  if  we  except  the 
usual  watchman  below,  in  solitary  possession  of  the  naked 
rock. 

Whatever  less  valuable  fruits  had  been  produced  in  this 
uneducated  woman  by  her  migratory  habits,  the  great 
principle  of  female  nature  was  too  deeply  rooted  ever  to 
be  entirely  eradicated.  Of  a  powerful,  not  to  say  fierce 
temperament,  her  passions  were  violent  and  difficult  to  be 
smothered.  But,  however  she  might  and  did  abuse  the 
accidental  prerogatives  of  her  situation,  love  for  her  off 
spring,  while  it  often  slumbered,  could  never  be  said  to 
become  extinct.  She  liked  not  the  protracted  absence  of 
Asa.  Too  fearless  herself  to  have  hesitated  an  instant  on 
her  own  account  about  crossing  the  dark  abyss,  into  which 
she  now  sat  looking  with  longing  eyes,  her  busy  imagi 
nation,  in  obedience  to  this  inextinguishable  sentiment, 
began  to  conjure  nameless  evils  on  account  of  her  son.  It 
might  be  true,  as  Abiram  had  hinted,  that  he  had  become 
a  captive  to  some  of  the  tribes  who  were  hunting  the 
buffalo  in  that  vicinity,  or  even  a  still  more  dreadful  ca 
lamity  might  have  befallen.  So  thought  the  mother,  while 
silence  and  darkness  lent  their  aid  to  the  secret  impulses 
of  nature. 

Agitated  by  these  reflections, which  put  sleep  at  defiance, 
Esther  continued  at  her  post,  listening  with  that  sort  of 
acuteness  which  is  termed  instinct  in  the  animals  a  few 
degrees  below  her  in  the  scale  of  intelligence,  for  any  of 
those  noises  which  might  indicate  the  approach  of  foot 
steps.  At  length,  her  wishes  had  an  appearance  of  being 
realized,  for  the  long  desired  sounds  were  distinctly  aud 
ible,  and  presently  she  distinguished  the  dim  form  of  a 
man  at  the  base  of  the  rock. 

"Now,  Asa,  richly  do  you  deserve  to  be  left  with  an 
earthen  bed  this  blessed  night!"  the  woman  began  to 
mutter,  with  a  revolution  in  her  feelings  that  will  not  be 
surprising  to  those  who  have  made  the  contradictions  that 
give  variety  to  the  human  character  a  study.  "And  a 
hard  one  I've  a  mind  it  shall  be!  Why  Abner;  Abner; 
you  Abner;  do  you  sleep?  Let  me  not  see  you  dare  to 


136  THE   PRAIRIE 

open  the  hole,  till  I  get  down.  I  will  know  who  it  is  that 
wishes  to  disturb  a  peaceable,  ay,  and  an  honest  family, 
too,  at  such  a  time  in  the  night  as  this!" 

"Woman!"  exclaimed  a  voice,  that  intended  to  bluster, 
while  the  speaker  was  manifestly  a  little  apprehensive  of 
the  consequences;  '  'woman,  I  forbid  you  on  pain  of  the  law 
to  project  any  of  your  infernal  missiles.  I  am  a  citizen, 
and  a  freeholder,  and  a  graduate  of  two  universities;  and 
I  stand  upon  my  rights!  Beware  of  malice  prepense,  of 
chance-medley,  and  of  manslaughter.  It  is  I — your  amicus; 
a  friend  and  inmate.  I — Dr.  Obed  Battius. ' ' 

'  'Who? ' '  demanded  Esther,  in  a  voice  that  nearly  refused 
to  convey  her  words  to  the  ears  of  the  anxious  listener 
beneath.  "Did  you  say  it  was  not  Asa?" 

"Nay,  I  am  neither  Asa,  nor  Absalom,  nor  any  of  the 
Hebrew  princes,  but  Obed,  the  root  and  stock  of  them  all. 
Have  I  not  said,  woman,  that  you  keep  one  in  attendance 
who  is  entitled  to  a  peaceable  as  well  as  an  honorable  ad 
mission?  Do  you  take  me  for  an  animal  of  the  class  am 
phibia,  and  that  I  can  play  with  my  lungs  as  a  blacksmith 
does  with  his  bellows?" 

The  naturalist  might  have  expended  his  breath  much 
longer  without  producing  any  desirable  result,  had  Esther 
been  his  only  auditor.  Disappointed  and  alarmed,  the 
woman  had  already  sought  her  pallet,  and  was  preparing, 
with  a  sort  of  desperate  indifference,  to  compose  herself 
to  sleep.  Abner,  the  sentinel  below,  however,  had  been 
aroused  from  an  exceedingly  equivocal  situation  by  the 
outcry;  and  as  he  had  now  regained  sufficient  conscious 
ness  to  recognize  the  voice  of  the  physician,  the  latter 
was  admitted  with  the  least  possible  delay.  Dr.  Battius 
bustled  through  the  narrow  entrance  with  an  air  of  singu 
lar  impatience,  and  was  already  beginning  to  mount  the 
difficult  ascent,  when  catching  a  view  of  the  porter,  he 
paused,  to  observe  with  an  air  that  he  intended  should  be 
impressively  admonitory: 

"Abner,  there  are  dangerous  symptoms  of  somnolency 
about  thee!  It  is  sufficiently  exhibited  in  the  tendency  to 
hiation,  and  may  prove  dangerous  not  only  to  yourself, 
but  to  all  thy  father's  family." 

"You  never  made  a  greater  mistake,  Doctor,"  returned 


THE   PRAIRIE  137 

the  youth,  gaping  like  an  indolent  lion;  "I  haven't  a  symp 
tom,  as  you  call  it,  about  any  part  of  me;  and  as  to  father 
and  the  children,  I  reckon  the  small-pox  and  the  measles 
have  been  thoroughly  through  the  breed  these  many 
months  ago." 

Content  with  his  brief  admonition,  the  naturalist  had 
surmounted  half  the  difficulties  of  the  ascent  before  the 
deliberate  Abner  ended  his  justification.  On  the  summit, 
Obed  fully  expected  to  encounter  Esther,  of  whose  lingua- 
cious  powers  he  had  too  often  been  furnished  with  the 
most  sinister  proofs,  and  of  which  he  stood  in  awe  too 
salutary  to  covet  a  repetition  of  the  attacks.  The  reader 
can  foresee  that  he  was  to  be  agreeably  disappointed. 
Treading  lightly,  and  looking  timidly  over  his  shoulder, 
as  if  he  apprehended  a  shower  of  something  even  more 
formidable  than  words,  the  Doctor  proceeded  to  the  place 
which  had  been  allotted  to  himself  in  the  disposition  of 
the  dormitories. 

Instead  of  sleeping,  the  worthy  naturalist  sat  rumina 
ting  over  what  he  had  both  seen  and  heard  that  day,  until 
the  tossing  and  mutterings  which  proceeded  from  the  cabin 
of  Esther,  who  was  his  nearest  neighbor,  advised  him 
of  the  wakeful  situation  of  its  inmate.  Perceiving  the 
necessity  of  doing  something  to  disarm  this  female  Cer 
berus,  before  his  own  purpose  could  be  accomplished,  the 
Doctor,  reluctant  as  he  was  to  encounter  her  tongue,  found 
himself  compelled  to  invite  a  colloquial  communication. 

"You  appear  not  to  sleep,  my  very  kind  and  worthy 
Mrs.  Bush,"  he  said,  determined  to  commence  his  appli 
cations  with  a  plaster  that  was  usually  found  to  adhere; 
"you  appear  to  rest  badly,  my  excellent  hostess;  can  I 
administer  to  your  ailings?" 

"What  would  you  give  me,  man?"  grumbled  Esther; 
"a  blister  to  make  me  sleep?" 

"Say  rather  a  cataplasm.  But  if  you  are  in  pain,  here 
are  some  cordial  drops,  which,  taken  in  a  glass  of  my  own 
cognac,  will  give  you  rest,  if  I  know  aught  of  the  materia 
medica." 

The  Doctor,  as  he  very  well  knew,  had  assailed 
on  her  weak  side;  and  as  he  doubted  not  of  the  acceptable 
quality  of  his  prescription,  he  set  himself  at  work,  with- 


138  THE   PRAIRIE 

out  unnecessary  delay,  to  prepare  it.  When  he  made  his 
offering,  it  was  received  in  a  snappish  and  threatening 
manner,  but  swallowed  with  a  facility  that  sufficiently 
proclaimed  how  much  it  was  relished.  The  woman  mut 
tered  her  thanks,  and  her  leech  reseated  himself  in  silence, 
to  await  the  operation  of  the  dose.  In  less  than  half  an 
hour  the  breathing  of  Esther  became  so  profound,  and,  as 
the  Doctor  himself  might  have  termed  it,  so  very  ab 
stracted,  that  had  he  not  known  how  easy  it  was  to  ascribe 
this  new  instance  of  somnolency  to  the  powerful  dose  of 
opium  with  which  he  had  garnished  the  brandy,  he  might 
have  seen  reason  to  distrust  his  own  prescription.  With 
the  sleep  of  the  restless  woman,  the  stillness  became  pro 
found  and  general. 

Then  Dr.  Battius  saw  fit  to  arise,  with  the  silence  and 
caution  of  the  midnight  robber,  and  to  steal  out  of  his 
own  cabin,  or  rather  kennel,  for  it  deserved  no  better 
name,  towards  the  adjoining  dormitories.  Here  he  took 
time  to  assure  himself  that  all  his  neighbors  were  buried 
in  deep  sleep.  Once  advised  of  this  important  fact,  he 
hesitated  no  longer,  but  commenced  the  difficult  ascent 
which  led  to  the  upper  pinnacle  of  the  rock.  His 
advance,  though  abundantly  guarded,  was  not  entirely 
noiseless;  but  while  he  was  felicitating  himself  on  having 
successfully  effected  his  object,  and  he  was  in  the  very 
act  of  placing  his  foot  on  the  highest  ledge,  a  hand  was 
laid  upon  the  skirts  of  his  coat,  which  as  effectually  put 
an  end  to  his  advance,  as  if  the  gigantic  strength  of 
Ishmael  himself  had  pinned  him  to  the  earth. 

"Is  there  sickness  in  the  tent,"  whispered  a  soft  voice 
in  his  very  ear,  "that  Dr.  Battius  is  called  to  visit  it  at 
such  an  hour?" 

So  soon  as  the  heart  of  the  naturalist  had  returned  from 
its  hasty  expedition  into  his  throat,  as  one  less  skilled 
than  Dr.  Battius  in  the  formation  of  the  animal  would 
have  been  apt  to  have  accounted  for  the  extraordinary 
sensation  with  which  he  received  this  unlooked-for  inter 
ruption,  he  found  resolution  to  reply;  using,  as  much  in 
terror  as  in  prudence,  the  same  precaution  in  the  indul 
gence  of  his  voice. 

"My  worthy  Nelly!     I  am  greatly  rejoiced  to  find  it  is 


THE  PRAIRIE  I3t) 

no  other  than  thee.  Hist,  child,  hist!  Should  Ishmael 
gain  a  knowledge  of  our  plans,  he  would  not  hesitate  to 
cast  us  both  from  this  rock,  upon  the  plain  beneath.  Hist' 
Nelly,  hist!  " 

As  the  Doctor  delivered  his  injunctions  between  the  in 
tervals  of  his  ascent,  by  the  time  they  were  concluded 
both  he  and  his  auditor  had  gained  the  upper  level 
<,  "An^now>  Dr-  Battius,"  the  girl  gravely  demanded, 

may  I  know  the  reason  why  you  have  run  so  great  a  risk 
of  flying  from  this  place,  without  wings,  and  at  the  cer 
tain  expense  of  your  neck?" 

"Nothing  shall  be  concealed  from  thee,  worthy  and 
trusty  Nelly— but  are  you  certain  that  Ishmael  will  not 
awake?" 

"No  fear  of  him;  he  will  sleep  until  the  sun  scorches 
his  eyelids.  The  danger  is  from  my  aunt." 

"Esther  sleepeth!"  the  Doctor  sententiously  replied. 
"Ellen,  you  have  been  watching  on  this  rock  to-day?" 

"I  was  ordered  to  do  so." 

"And  you  have  seen  the  bison,  and  the  antelope,  and 
the  wolf,  and  the  deer,  as  usual;  animals  of  the  orders 
pecora,  belluae,  and  ferae. ' ' 

"I  have  seen  the  creatures  you  named  in  English,  but  I 
know  nothing  of  the  Indian  languages." 

"There  is  still  an  order  that  I  have  not  named,  which 
you  have  also  seen.  The  primates — is  it  not  true?" 

"I  cannot  say.     I  know  no  animal  by  that  name." 

"Nay,  Ellen,  you  confer  with  a  friend.  Of  the  genus 
homo,  child?" 

"Whatever  else  I  may  have  had  in  view,  I  have  not  seen 
the  Vespertilio  horribi — 

"Hush,  Nelly,  thy  vivacity  will  betray  us!  Tell  me, 
girl,  have  you  not  seen  certain  bipeds,  called  men,  wander 
ing  about  the  prairies?" 

"Surely.  My  uncle  and  his  sons  have  been  hunting  the 
buffalo,  since  the  sun  began  to  fall." 

"I  must  speak  in  the  vernacular,  to  be  comprehended. 
Ellen,  I  would  say  of  the  species  Kentucky. ' ' 

Though  Ellen  reddened  like  the  rose,  her  blushes  were 
concealed  by  the  darkness.  She  hesitated  an  instant,  and 
then  summoned  sufficient  spirit  to  say  decidedly: 


140  THE   PRAIRIE 

"If  you  wish  to  speak  in  parables,  Doctor  Battius,  you 
must  find  another  listener.  Put  your  questions  plainly 
in  English,  and  I  will  answer  them  honestly  in  the  same 
tongue. ' ' 

"I  have  been  journeying  in  this  desert,  as  thou  knowest, 
Nelly,  in  quest  of  animals  that  have  been  hidden  from  the 
eyes  of  science,  until  now.  Among  others,  I  have  discov 
ered  a  primates,  of  the  genus,  homo;  species,  Kentucky; 
which  I  term  Paul — 

"Hist,  for  the  sake  of  mercy!"  said  Ellen;  "speak 
lower.  Doctor,  or  we  shall  be  ruined." 

"Hover.  By  profession  a  collector  of  the  apes,  or  bee, ' ' 
continued  the  other.  "Do  I  use  the  vernacular  now — am 
I  understood?*' 

"Perfectly,  perfectly,"  returned  the  girl,  breathing 
with  difficulty,  in  her  surprise.  "But  what  of  him?  Did 
he  tell  you  to  mount  this  rock?  He  knows  nothing,  him 
self;  for  the  oath  I  gave  my  uncle  has  shut  my  mouth." 

"Ay,  but  there  is  one  that  has  taken  no  oath,  who  has 
revealed  all.  I  would  that  the  mantle  which  is  wrapped 
around  the  mysteries  of  nature,  were  as  effectually  with 
drawn  from  its  hidden  treasures !  Ellen!  Ellen!  the  man 
with  whom  I  have  unwittingly  formed  a  compactum,  or 
agreement,  is  sadly  forgetful  of  the  obligations  of  honesty ! 
Thy  uncle,  child." 

"You  mean  Ishmael  Bush,  my  father's  brother's  widow's 
husband,"  returned  the  offended  girl,  a  little  proudly. 
"Indeed,  indeed,  it  is  cruel  to  reproach  me  with  a  tie  that 
chance  has  formed,  and  which  I  would  rejoice  so  much  to 
break  forever ! ' ' 

The  humbled  Ellen  could  utter  no  more,  but  sinking  on 
a  projection  of  the  rock,  she  began  to  sob  in  a  manner 
that  rendered  their  situation  doi&ly  critical.  The  Doctor 
muttered  a  few  words,  which  he  intended  as  an  apologetic 
explanation,  but  before  he  had  time  to  complete  his  labored 
vindication,  she  arose  and  said  with  decision: 

"I  did  not  come  here  to  pass  my  time  in  foolish  tears, 
nor  you  to  try  to  stop  them.  What,  then,  has  brought  you 
hither?" 

"I  must  see  the  inmate  of  that  tent." 

"You  know  what  it  contains?" 


THE   PRAIRIE  141 

"I  am  taught  to  believe  I  do;  and  I  bear  a  letter  which 
I  must  deliver  with  my  own  hands.  If  the  animal  prove 
a  quadruped,  Ishmael  is  a  true  man — if  a  biped,  fledged 
or  unfledged,  I  care  not,  he  is  false,  and  our  compactum 
at  an  end ! ' ' 

Ellen  made  a  sign  for  the  Doctor  to  remain  where  he 
was,  and  to  be  silent.  She  then  glided  into  the  tent,  where 
she  continued  many  minutes,  that  proved  exceedingly 
weary  and  anxious  to  the  expectant  without;  but  the  in 
stant  she  returned,  she  took  him  by  the  arm,  and  together 
they  entered  beneath  the  folds  of  the  mysterious  cloth. 


CHAPTER   XII 

"  Pray  God  the  Duke  of  York  excuse  himself." 

—KING  HENRY  VI. 

THE  mustering  of  the  borderers  on  the  following  morn 
ing  was  silent,  sullen,  and  gloomy.  The  repast  of  that  hour 
was  wanting  in  the  inharmonious  accompaniment  with 
which  Esther  ordinarily  enlivened  their  meals;  for  the 
effects  of  the  powerful  opiate  the  Doctor  had  administered 
still  muddled  her  intellects.  The  young  men  brooded  over 
the  absence  of  their  elder  brother;  and  the  brows  of  Ish- 
mael  himself  were  knit,  as  he  cast  his  scowling  eyes  from 
one  to  the  other,  like  a  man  preparing  to  meet  and  to  re 
pel  an  expected  assault  on  his  authority.  In  the  midst  of 
this  family  distrust,  Ellen  and  her  midnight  confederate, 
the  naturalist,  took  their  usual  places  among  the  children, 
without  awakening  suspicion  or  exciting  comment.  The 
only  apparent  fruits  of  the  adventure  in  which  they  had 
been  engaged,  were  occasional  uplif tings  of  the  eyes,  on 
the  part  of  the  Doctor,  which  were  mistaken  by  the  ob 
servers  for  some  of  his  scientific  contemplations  of  the 
heavens,  but  which,  in  reality,  were  no  other  than  furtive 
glances  at  the  fluttering  walls  of  the  proscribed  tent. 

At  length  the  squatter,  who  had  waited  in  vain  for  some 
more  decided  manifestation  of  the  expected  rising  among 
his  sons,  resolved  to  make  a  demonstration  of  his  own 
intentions. 

"Asa  shall  account  to  me  for  this  undutiful  conduct," 
he  observed.  "Here  has  the  livelong  night  gone  by,  and 
he  out-lying  on  the  prairie,  when  his  hand  and  his  rifle 
might  both  have  been  wanted  in  a  brush  with  the  Sioux, 
for  any  right  he  had  to  know  the  contrary. ' ' 

"Spare  your  breath,  good  man,"  retorted  his  wife;  "be 
saving  of  your  breath;  for  you  may  have  to  call  long 
enough  for  the  boy  before  he  will  answer!" 

"It  ar'  a  fact  that  some  men  be  so  womanish  as  to  let 

142 


THE   PRAIRIE  143 

the  young  master  the  old!  But  you,  old  Esther,  should 
know  better  than  to  think  such  will  ever  be  the  nature  of 
things  in  the  family  of  Ishmael  Bush." 

"Ah^you  are  a  hectorer  with  the  boys  when  need  calls; 
I  know  it  well,  Ishmael;  and  one  of  your  sons  have  you 
driven  from  you  by  your  temper;  and  that,  too,  at  a  time 
when  he  is  most  wanted." 

"Father, ' '  said  Abner,  whose  sluggish  nature  had  grad 
ually  been  stimulating  itself  to  the  exertion  of  taking 
so  bold  a  stand,  "the  boys  and  I  have  pretty  generally 
concluded  to  go  out  on  the  search  of  Asa.  We  are  dis 
agreeable  about  his  camping  on  the  prairie,  instead  of 
coming  in  to  his  own  bed,  as  we  all  know  he  would  like 
to  do." 

"Pshaw!"  muttered  Abiram;  "the  boy  has  killed  a 
buck;  or  perhaps  a  buffalo;  and  he  is  sleeping  by  the  car 
cass  to  keep  off  the  wolves  till  day.  We  shall  soon  see 
him,  or  hear  him  bawling  for  help  to  bring  in  his  load." 

"  "Pis  little  help  that  a  son  of  mine  will  call  for,  to 
shoulder  a  buck  or  to  quarter  your  wild-beef,"  returned 
the  mother.  "And  you,  Abiram,  to  say  so  uncertain  a 
thing!  you  who  said  yourself  that  the  red-skins  had  been 
prowling  around  this  place,  no  later  than  yesterday— 

"I!"  exclaimed  her  brother,  hastily,  as  if  anxious  to 
retract  an  error;  "I  said  it  then,  and  I  say  it  now;  and 
so  you  will  find  it  to  be.  The  Tetons  are  in  our  neighbor 
hood,  and  happy  will  it  prove  for  the  boy  if  he  is  well 
shut  of  them." 

"It  seems  to  me,"  said  Dr.  Battius,  speaking  with  the 
sort  of  deliberation  and  dignity  one  is  apt  to  use  after 
having  thoroughly  ripened  his  opinions  by  sufficient  reflec 
tion  "it  seems  to  me — a  man  but  little  skilled  in  the  signs 
and  tokens  of  Indian  warfare,  especially  as  practised  in 
these  remote  plains,  but  one  who,  I  may  say  without  van 
ity,  has  some  insight  into  the  mysteries  of  nature— it 
seems,  then,  to  me,  thus  humbly  qualified,  that  when 
doubts  exist  in  a  matter  of  moment,  it  would  always  be 
the  wisest  course  to  appease  them." 

"No  more  of  your  doctoring  for  me!"  cried  the  grum 
Esther;  "no  more  of  your  quiddities  in  a  healthy  family, 
say  I!  Here  was  I  doing  well,  only  a  little  out  of  sorts 


144  THE   PRAIRIE 

with  over  instructing  the  young,  and  you  dosed  me  with  a 
drug  that  hangs  about  my  tongue  like  a  pound  weight  on 
a  humming-bird's  wing!" 

"Is  the  medicine  out?"  dryly  demanded  Ishmael;  "it 
must  be  a  rare  dose  that  gives  a  heavy  feel  to  the  tongue 
of  Eester!" 

"Friend,"  continued  the  Doctor,  waving  his  hand  for 
the  angry  wife  to  maintain  the  peace,  "that  it  cannot  per 
form  all  that  is  said  of  it  the  very  charge  of  good  Mrs. 
Bush  is  a  sufficient  proof.  But  to  speak  of  the  absent  Asa. 
There  is  doubt  as  to  his  fate,  and  there  is  a  proposition  to 
solve  it.  Now,  in  the  natural  sciences  truth  is  always  a 
desideratum;  and  I  confess  it  would  seem  to  be  equally  so 
in  the  present  case  of  domestic  uncertainty,  which  may  be 
called  a  vacuum  where,  according  to  the  laws  of  physic, 
there  should  exist  some  pretty  palpable  proofs  of  ma- 
terialty." 

"Don't  mind  him,  don't  mind  him,"  cried  Esther,  ob 
serving  that  the  rest  of  his  auditors  listened  with  an  atten 
tion  which  might  proceed  equally  from  acquiescence  in 
his  proposal,  or  ignorance  of  its  meaning.  "There  is  a 
drug  in  every  word  he  utters." 

"Dr.  Battius  wishes  to  say,"  Ellen  modestly  interposed, 
"that  as  some  of  us  think  Asa  is  in  danger,  and  some 
think  otherwise,  the  whole  family  might  pass  an  hour  or 
two  in  looking  for  him." 

"Does  he?"  interrupted  the  woman;  "then  Dr.  Battius 
has  more  sense  in  him  that  I  believed!  She  is  right,  Ish 
mael;  and  what  she  says,  shall  be  done.  I  will  shoulder 
a  rifle  myself;  and  woe  betide  the  red-skin  that  crosses 
my  path !  I  have  pulled  a  trigger  before  to-day ;  ay,  and 
heard  an  Indian  yell,  too,  to  my  sorrow." 

The  spirit  of  Esther  diffused  itself,  like  the  stimulus 
which  attends  a  war-cry,  among  her  sons.  They  arose  in 
a  body,  and  declared  their  determination  to  second  so  bold 
a  resolution.  Ishmael  prudently  yielded  to  an  impulse  he 
could  not  resist, and,  in  a  few  minutes  the  woman  appeared, 
shouldering  her  arms,  prepared  to  lead  forth,  in  person, 
such  of  her  descendants  as  chose  to  follow. 

"Let  them  stay  with  the  children  that  please,"  she 
said,  "and  them  follow  me,  who  are  not  chicken-hearted ! ' ' 


THE   PRAIRIE  145 

"Abiram,  it  will  not  do  to  leave  the  huts  without  some 
guard,"  Ishmael  whispered,  glancing  his  eye  upwards. 

The  man  whom  he  addressed  started,  and  betrayed  ex 
traordinary  eagerness  in  his  reply. 

"I  will  tarry  and  watch  the  camp." 

A  dozen  voices  were  instantly  raised  in  objection  to  this 
proposal.  He  was  wanted  to  point  out  the  places  where 
the  hostile  tracks  had  been  seen,  and  his  termagant  sister 
openly  scouted  at  the  idea,  as  unworthy  of  his  manhood. 
The  reluctant  Abiram  was  compelled  to  yield,  and  Ishmael 
made  a  new  disposition  for  the  defense  of  the  place;  which 
was  admitted,  by  every  one,  to  be  all-important  to  their 
security  and  comfort. 

He  offered  the  post  of  commandant  to  Dr.  Battius,  who, 
however,  peremptorily  and  somewhat  haughtily,  declined 
the  doubtful  honor;  exchanging  looks  of  intelligence  with 
Ellen,  as  he  did  so.  In  this  dilemma  the  squatter  was 
obliged  to  constitute  the  girl  herself  castellan;  taking 
care,  however,  in  deputing  this  important  trust,  to  omit 
no  words  of  caution  and  instruction.  When  this  prelim 
inary  point  was  settled,  the  young  men  proceeded  to 
arrange  certain  means  of  defense,  and  signals  of  alarm, 
that  were  adapted  to  the  weakness  and  character  of  the 
garrison.  Several  masses  of  rock  were  drawn  to  the  edge 
of  the  upper  level,  and  so  placed  as  to  leave  it  at  the  dis 
cretion  of  the  feeble  Ellen  and  her  associates,  to  cast  them 
or  not,  as  they  might  choose,  on  the  heads  of  any  invaders, 
who  would,  of  necessity,  be  obliged  to  mount  the  emi 
nence  by  the  difficult  and  narrow  passage  already  so  often 
mentioned.  In  addition  to  this  formidable  obstruction, 
the  barriers  were  strengthened  and  rendered  nearly  im 
passable.  Smaller  missiles,  that  might  be  hurled  even  by 
the  hands  of  the  younger  children,  but  which  would  prove, 
from  the  elevation  of  the  place,  exceedingly  dangerous, 
were  provided  in  profusion.  A  pile  of  dried  leaves  and 
splinters  was  placed,  as  a  beacon,  on  the  upper  rock,  and 
then,  even  in  the  jealous  judgment  of  the  squatter,  the 
post  was  deemed  competent  to  maintain  a  creditable  siege. 
The  moment  the  rock  was  thought  to  be  in  a  state  of 
sufficient  security,  the  party  who  composed  what  might  be 
called  the  sortie,  sallied  forth  on  their  anxious  expedition. 

10 


146  THE   PRAIRIE 

The  advance  was  led  by  Esther  in  person,  who,  attired  in 
a  dress  half  masculine,  and  bearing  a  weapon  like  the 
rest,  seemed  no  unfit  leader  for  the  group  of  wildly  clad 
frontiersmen,  that  followed  in  her  rear. 

"Now,  Abiram!"  cried  the  Amazon,  in  a  voice  that  was 
cracked  and  harsh,  for  the  simple  reason  of  being  used  too 
often  on  a  strained  and  unnatural  key,  "now,  Abiram, 
run  with  your  nose  low;  show  yourself  a  hound  of  the  true 
breed,  and  do  some  credit  to  your  training.  You  it  was 
that  saw  the  prints  of  the  Indian  moccasin,  and  it  behooves 
you  to  let  others  be  as  wise  as  yourself.  Come;  come  to 
the  front,  man;  and  give  us  a  bold  lead." 

The  brother,  who  appeared  at  all  times  to  stand  in  awe 
of  his  sister's  authority,  complied;  though  it  was  with  a 
reluctance  so  evident,  as  to  excite  sneers  even  among  the 
unobservant  and  indolent  sons  of  the  squatter.  Ishmael, 
himself,  moved  among  his  tall  children,  like  one  who  ex 
pected  nothing  from  the  search,  and  who  was  indifferent 
alike  to  its  success  or  failure.  In  this  manner  the  party 
proceeded  until  their  distant  fortress  had  sunk  so  low,  as 
to  present  an  object  no  larger  nor  more  distinct  than  a 
hazy  point,  on  the  margin  of  the  prairie.  Hitherto  their 
progress  had  been  silent  and  somewhat  rapid,  for  as  swell 
after  swell  was  mounted  and  passed,  without  varying,  or 
discovering  a  living  object  to  enliven  the  monotony  of  the 
view,  even  the  tongue  of  Esther  was  hushed  to  increasing 
anxiety.  Here,  however,  Ishmael  chose  to  pause,  and 
casting  the  butt  of  his  rifle  from  his  shoulder  to  the 
ground,  he  observed: 

"This  is  enough.  Buffalo  signs,  and  deer  signs,  are 
plenty;  but  where  are  thy  Indian  footsteps,  Abiram?" 

"Still  further  west, "  returned  the  other,  pointing  in 
the  direction  he  named.  "This  was  the  spot  where  I 
struck  the  tracks  of  the  buck;  it  was  after  I  took  the  deer 
that  I  fell  upon  the  Teton  trail." 

"And  a  bloody  piece  of  work  you  made  of  it,  man," 
cried  the  squatter,  pointing  tauntingly  to  the  soiled  gar 
ments  of  his  kinsman,  and  then  directing  the  attention  of 
the  spectators  to  his  own,  by  the  way  of  a  triumphant 
contrast.  "Here  have  I  cut  the  throats  of  two  lively  does, 
and  a  scampering  fawn,  without  spot  or  stain;  while  you, 


THE   PRAIRIE  147 

blundering  dog  as  you  are,  have  made  as  much  work  for 
Eester  and  her  girls,  as  though  butchering  was  your  reg 
ular  calling.  Come,  boys;  it  is  enough.  I  am  too  old 
not  to  know  the  signs  of  the  frontiers;  no  Indian  has  been 
here  since  the  last  fall  of  water.  Follow  me;  and  I  will 
make  a  turn  that  shall  give  us  at  least  the  beef  of  a  fal 
low  cow  for  our  trouble. ' ' 

"Follow  me/"  echoed  Esther,  stepping  undauntedly  for 
ward.  "I  am  leader  to-day,  and  I  will  be  followed.  Who 
so  proper,  let  me  know,  as  a  mother,  to  head  a  search  for 
her  own  lost  child?" 

Ishmael  regarded  his  intractable  mate  with  a  smile  of 
indulgent  pity.  Observing  that  she  had  already  struck  out 
a  path  for  herself,  different  both  from  that  of  Abiram 
and  the  one  he  had  seen  fit  to  choose,  and  being  unwill 
ing  to  draw  the  cord  of  authority  too  tight,  just  at  that 
moment,  he  submitted  to  her  will.  But  Dr.  Battius,  who 
had  hitherto  been  a  silent  and  thoughtful  attendant  on  the 
woman,  now  saw  fit  to  raise  his  feeble  voice  in  the  way 
of  remonstrance. 

"I  agree  with  thy  partner  in  life,  worthy  and  gentle 
Mrs.  Bush,"  he  said,  "in  believing  that  some  ignis  fatuus 
of  the  imagination  has  deceived  Abiram,  in  the  signs  or 
symptoms  of  which  he  has  spoken." 

"Symptoms,  yourself!"  interrupted  the  termagant. 
"This  is  no  time  for  bookish  words,  nor  is  this  a  place  to 
stop  and  swallow  medicines.  If  you  are  a  leg-weary  say 
so,  as  a  plain-speaking  man  should;  then  seat  yourself  on 
the  prairie,  like  a  hound  that  is  foot  sore,  and  take  your 
natural  rest." 

"I  accord  in  the  opinion, ' '  the  naturalist  calmly  replied, 
complying  literally  with  the  opinion  of  the  deriding 
Esther  by  taking  his  seat  very  coolly  by  the  side  of  an  in 
digenous  shrub;  the  examination  of  which  he  commenced 
on  the  instant,  in  order  that  science  might  not  lose  any 
of  its  just  and  important  dues.  "I  honor  your  excellent 
advice,  Mistress  Esther,  as  you  may  perceive.  Go  thou 
in  quest  of  thy  offspring,  while  I  tarry  here,  in  pursuit 
of  that  which  is  better;  namely,  an  insight  into  the  arcana 
of  Nature's  volume." 

The  woman  answered  with  a  hollow,   unnatural,   and 


148  THE   PRAIRIE 

scornful  laugh;  and  even  her  heavy  sons,  as  they  slowly 
passed  the  seat  of  the  already  abstracted  naturalist,  did 
not  disdain  to  manifest  their  contempt  in  smiles.  In  a 
few  minutes  the  train  mounted  the  nearest  eminence,  and 
as  it  turned  the  rounded  acclivity,  the  Doctor  was  left  to 
pursue  his  profitable  investigations  in  entire  solitude. 

Another  half-hour  passed,  during  which  Esther  contin 
ued  to  advance,  on  her  seemingly  fruitless  search.  Her 
pauses,  however,  were  becoming  frequent,  and  her  looks 
wandering  and  uncertain,  when  footsteps  were  heard  clat 
tering  through  the  bottom,  and  at  the  next  instant  a  buck 
was  seen  to  bound  up  the  ascent,  and  to  dart  from  before 
their  eyes,  in  the  direction  of  the  naturalist.  So  sudden 
and  unlocked  for  had  been  the  passage  of  the  animal,  and 
so  much  had  he  been  favored  by  the  shape  of  the  ground, 
that  before  any  one  of  the  foresters  had  time  to  bring  his 
rifle  to  his  shoulders,  it  was  already  beyond  the  range  of 
a  bullet. 

"Look  out  for  the  wolf!"  shouted  Abner,  shaking  his 
head  in  vexation,  at  being  a  single  moment  too  late.  "A 
wolf's  skin  will  be  no  bad  gift  in  a  winter's  night;  ay, 
yonder  the  hungry  devil  comes!" 

"Hold!"  cried  Ishmael,  knocking  up  the  leveled  weapon 
of  his  too  eager  son..  "  'Tis  not  a  wolf;  but  a  hound  of 
thorough  blood  and  bottom.  Ha!  we  have  hunters  nigh; 
there  ar'  two  of  them!" 

He  was  still  speaking,  when  the  animals  in  question 
came  leaping  on  the  track  of  the  deer,  striving  with  noble 
ardor  to  outdo  each  other.  One  was  an  aged  dog,  whose 
strength  seemed  to  be  sustained  purely  by  generous  emu 
lation,  and  the  other  a  pup,  that  gamboled  even  while  he 
pressed  most  warmly  on  the  chase.  They  both  ran,  how 
ever,  with  clean  and  powerful  leaps,  carrying  their  noses 
high,  like  animals  of  the  most  keen  and  subtle  scent.  They 
had  passed ;  and  in  another  minute  they  would  have  been 
running  open-mouthed  with  the  deer  in  view,  had  not  the 
younger  dog  suddenly  bounded  from  the  course,  and  ut 
tered  a  cry  of  surprise.  His  aged  companion  stopped 
also,  and  returned  panting  and  exhausted  to  the  place 
where  the  other  was  whirling  around  in  swift,  and  appar 
ently  in  mad  evolutions  circling  the  spot  in  his  own  foot- 


THE   PRAIRIE  149, 

steps,  and  continuing  his  outcry,  in  a  short  snappish 
barking.  But,  when  the  elder  hound  had  reached  the 
spot,  he  seated  himself  and,  lifting  his  nose  high  into  the 
air,  he  raised  a  long,  loud,  and  wailing  howl. 

'  'It  must  be  a  strong  scent, ' '  said  Abner,  who  had  been, 
with  the  rest  of  the  family,  an  admiring  observer  of  the 
movements  of  the  dogs,  "that  can  break  off  two  such 
creatur's  so  suddenly  from  their  trail." 

"Murder  them!"  cried  Abiram;  "I'll  swear  to  the  old 
hound;  'tis  the  dog  of  the  trapper,  whom  we  now  know 
to  be  our  mortal  enemy." 

Though  the  brother  of  Esther  gave  so  hostile  advice,  he 
appeared  in  no  way  ready  to  put  it  in  execution  himself. 
The  surprise  which  had  taken  possession  of  the  whole 
party,  exhibited  itself  in  his  own  vacant,  wondering  stare, 
as  strongly  as  in  any  of  the  admiring  visages  by  whom  he 
was  surrounded.  His  denunciations,  therefore,  notwith 
standing  its  dire  import,  was  disregarded;  and  the  dogs 
were  left  to  obey  the  impulses  of  their  mysterious  instinct, 
without  let  or  hindrance. 

It  was  long  before  any  of  the  spectators  broke  the  silence; 
but  the  squatter  at  length  so  far  recollected  his  authority, 
as  to  take  on  himself  the  right  to  control  the  movements 
of  his  children. 

"Come  away,  boys;  come  away,  and  leave  the  hounds 
to  sing  their  tunes  for  their  own  amusement,"  Ishmael 
said,  in  his  coldest  manner.  "I  scorn  to  take  the  life  of 
a  beast,  because  its  master  has  pitched  himself  too  nigh 
my  clearing;  come  away,  boys,  come  away;  we  have 
enough  of  our  own  work  before  us,  without  turning  aside 
to  do  that  of  the  whole  neighborhood." 

"Come  not  away!"  cried  Esther,  in  tones  that  sounded 
like  the  admonitions  of  some  sibyl.  "I  say,  come  not 
away,  my  children.  There  is  a  meaning  and  a  warning  in 
this;  and  as  I  am  a  woman  and  a  mother,  well  I  know  the 
truth  of  it  all!" 

So  saying,  the  awakened  wife  brandished  her  weapon, 
with  an  air  that  was  not  without  its  wild  and  secret  inn 
ence,  and  led  the  way  towards  the  spot  where  the  dogs 
still  remained,   filling  the  air  with  her  long-drawn  an< 
piteous  complaints.     The  whole    party  followed    in  6 


150  THE   PRAIRIE 

steps,  some  too  indolent  to  oppose,  others  obedient  to  her 
will,  and  all  more  or  less  excited  by  the  uncommon  char 
acter  of  the  scene. 

"Tell  me,  you  Abner — Abiram — Ishmael!"  the  woman 
cried,  standing  over  a  spot  where  the  earth  was  trampled 
and  beaten,  and  plainly  sprinkled  with  blood;  "tell  me, 
you  who  ar'  hunters!  what  sort  of  animal  has  here  met 
his  death?  Speak!  Ye  ar'  men,  and  used  to  the  signs  of 
the  plains;  is  it  the  blood  of  wolf  or  panther?" 

"A  buffalo — and  a  noble  and  powerful  creatur'  has  it 
been!"  returned  the  squatter,  who  looked  down  calmly  on 
the  fatal  signs  which  so  strangely  affected  his  wife.  "Here 
are  the  marks  of  the  spot  where  he  has  struck  his  hoofs 
into  the  earth,  in  the  death-struggle;  and  yonder  he  has 
plunged  and  torn  the  ground  with  his  horns.  Ay,  a  buffalo 
bull  of  wonderful  strength  and  courage  has  he  been!" 

"And  who  has  slain  him?"  continued  Esther;  "man! 
where  are  the  offals?  Wolves!  They  devour  not  the  hide! 
Tell  me,  ye  men  and  hunters,  is  this  the  blood  of  a  beast?" 

"The  creatur'  has  plunged  over  the  hillock, ' '  said  Abner, 
who  had  proceeded  a  short  distance  beyond  the  rest  of  the 
party.  "Ah!  there  you  will  find  it,  in  yon  swale  of  alders. 
Look!  a  thousand  carrion  birds  ar'  hovering  above  the 
carcass." 

"The  animal  has  still  life  in  him,"  returned  the  squat 
ter,  "or  the  buzzards  would  settle  upon  their  prey!  By 
the  action  of  the  dogs  it  must  be  something  ravenous;  I 
reckon  it  is  the  white  bear  from  the  upper  falls.  They 
are  said  to  cling  desperately  to  life!" 

"Let  us  go  back,"  said  Abiram;  "there  may  be  danger, 
and  there  can  be  no  good  in  attacking  a  ravenous  beast. 
Remember,  Ishmael,  'twill  be  a  risky  job,  and  one  of 
small  profit!" 

The  young  men  smiled  at  this  new  proof  of  the  well 
known  pusillanimity  of  their  uncle.  The  oldest  even  pro 
ceeded  so  far  as  to  express  his  contempt,  by  bluntly  saying: 

"It  will  do  to  cage  with  the  other  animal  we  carry; 
then  we  may  go  back  double-handed  into  the  settlements, 
and  set  up  for  showmen,  around  the  court-houses  and  jails 
of  Kentucky." 

The  threatening  frown  which  gathered  on  the  brow  of 


THE   PRAIRIE  151 

his  father  admonished  the  young  man  to  forbear.  Ex 
changing  looks  that  were  half  rebellious  with  his  brethren, 
he  saw  fit  to  be  silent.  But  instead  of  observing  the 
caution  recommended  by  Abiram,  they  proceeded  in  a 
body,  until  they  again  came  to  a  halt  within  a  few  yards 
of  the  matted  cover  of  the  thicket. 

The  scene  had  now,  indeed,  become  wild  and  striking 
enough  to  have  produced  a  powerful  effect  on  minds  better 
prepared  than  those  of  the  unnurtured  family  of  the  squat 
ter,  to  resist  the  impressions  of  so  exciting  a  spectacle. 
The  heavens  were,  as  usual  at  the  season,  covered  with 
dark,  driving  clouds,  beneath  which  interminable  flocks 
of  aquatic  birds  were  again  on  the  wing,  holding  their 
toilsome  and  heavy  way  towards  the  distant  waters  of  the 
south.  The  wind  had  risen,  and  was  once  more  sweeping 
over  the  prairie  in  gusts,  which  it  was  often  vain  to  op 
pose;  and  then  again  the  blasts  would  seem  to  mount  into 
the  upper  air,  as  if  to  sport  with  the  drifting  vapor, 
whirling  and  rolling  vast  masses  of  the  dusky  and  ragged 
volumes  over  each  other,  in  a  terrific  and  yet  grand  dis 
order.  Above  the  little  brake,  the  flocks  of  birds  still 
held  their  flight,  circling  with  heavy  wings  about  the 
spot,  struggling  at  times  against  the  torrent  of  wind,  and 
then  favored  by  their  position  and  height,  making  bold 
swoops  upon  the  thicket,  away  from  which,  however, 
they  never  failed  to  sail,  screaming  in  terror,  as  if  ap 
prised,  either  by  sight  or  instinct,  that  the  hour  of  their 
voracious  dominion  had  not  yet  fully  arrived. 

Ishmael  stood  for  many  minutes,  with  his  wife  and  chil 
dren  clustering  together,  in  an  amazement  with  which  awe 
was  singularly  mingled,  gazing  in  death-like  stillness  on 
the  sight.  The  voice  of  Esther  at  length  broke  the  charm 
and  reminded  the  spectators  of  the  necessity  of  resolving 
their  doubts  in  some  manner  more  worthy  of  their  man 
hood,  than  by  dull  and  inactive  observation. 

"Call  in  the  dogs!"  she  said,  "call  in  the  hounds,  and 
put  them  into  the  thicket;  there  ar'  men  enough  of  ye,  if 
ye  have  not  lost  the  spirit  with  which  I  know  ye  were 
born,  to  tame  the  tempers  of  all  the  bears  west  of  the  Big 
River.  Call  in  the  dogs,  I  say;  you  Enoch!  Abner!  Ga 
briel!  has  wonder  made  ye  deaf?" 


152  THE   PRAIRIE 

One  of  the  young  men  complied;  and  having  succeeded 
in  detaching  the  hounds  from  the  place  around  which, 
until  then,  they  had  not  ceased  to  hover,  he  led  them 
down  to  the  margin  of  the  thicket. 

' '  Put  them  in,  boy ;  put  them  in, "  continued  the  woman ; 
"and  you,  Ishmael  and  Abiram,  if  anything  wicked  or 
hurtful  comes  forth,  show  them  the  use  of  your  rifles,  like 
frontier-men.  If  ye  ar'  wanting  in  spirit,  before  the  eyes 
of  my  children  will  I  put  ye  both  to  shame!" 

The  youths,  who,  until  now,  had  detained  the  hounds, 
let  slip  the  thongs  of  skin  by  which  they  had  been  held,  and 
urged  them  to  the  attack  with  their  voices.  But  it  would 
seem  that  the  elder  dog  was  restrained  by  some  extraor 
dinary  sensation,  or  that  he  was  much  too  experienced  to 
attempt  the  rash  adventure.  After  proceeding  a  few  yards 
to  the  verge  of  the  brake,  he  made  a  sudden  pause  and 
stood  trembling  in  all  his  aged  limbs,  apparently  as  unable 
to  recede  as  to  advance.  The  encouraging  calls  of  the  young 
men  were  disregarded,  or  only  answered  by  a  low  and 
plaintive  whining.  For  a  minute  the  pup  also  was  simi 
larly  affected;  but  less  sage,  or  more  easily  excited,  he  was 
induced  at  length  to  leap  forward,  and  finally  to  dash  into 
the  cover.  An  alarmed  and  startling  howl  was  heard,  and 
at  the  next  minute,  he  broke  out  of  the  thicket,  and  com 
menced  circling  the  spot,  in  the  same  wild  and  unsteady 
manner  as  before. 

"Have  I  a  man  among  my  children?"  demanded  Esther. 
"Give  me  a  truer  piece  than  a  childish  shot-gun,  and  I  will 
show  ye  what  the  courage  of  a  frontier  woman  can  do!" 

"Stay  mother,"  exclaimed  Abner  and  Enoch;  "if  you 
will  see  the  creatur'  let  us  drive  it  into  view." 

This  was  quite  as  much  as  the  youths  were  accustomed 
to  utter,  even  on  more  important  occasions;  but  having 
given  a  pledge  of  their  intentions,  they  were  far  from 
being  backward  in  redeeming  it.  Preparing  their  arms 
with  the  utmost  care,  they  advanced  with  steadiness 
to  the  brake.  Nerves  less  often  tried  than  those  of  the 
young  borderers  might  have  shrunk  before  the  dangers  of 
so  uncertain  an  undertaking.  As  they  proceeded,  the 
howls  of  the  dogs  became  more  shrill  and  plaintive.  The 
vultures  and  buzzards  settled  so  low  as  to  flap  the  bushr-i 


THE   PRAIRIE  153 

with  their  heavy  wings,  and  the  wind  came  hoarsely 
sweeping  along  the  naked  prairie,  as  if  the  spirits  of  the 
air  had  also  descended  to  witness  the  approaching  devel 
opment. 

There  was  a  breathless  moment,  when  the  blood  of  the 
undaunted  Esther  flowed  backwards  to  her  heart,  as  she  saw 
her  sons  push  aside  the  matted  branches  of  the  thicket  and 
bury  themselves  in  its  labyrinth.  A  deep  and  solemn  pause 
succeeded.  Then  arose  two  loud  and  piercing  cries,  in 
quick  succession,  which  were  followed  by  a  quiet,  still 
more  awful  and  appalling. 

"Come  back — come  back,  my  children!"  cried  the 
woman,  the  feelings  of  a  mother  getting  the  ascendency. 

But  her  voice  was  hushed,  and  every  faculty  seemed 
frozen  with  horror,  as  at  that  instant  the  bushes  once  more 
parted,  and  the  two  adventurers  reappeared,  pale,  and 
nearly  insensible  themselves,  and  laid  at  her  feet  the  stiff 
and  motionless  body  of  the  lost  Asa,  with  the  marks  of  a 
violent  death  but  too  plainly  stamped  on  every  pallid 
lineament. 

The  dogs  uttered  a  long  and  closing  howl,  and  then 
breaking  off  together,  they  disappeared  on  the  forsaken 
trail  of  the  deer.  The  flight  of  birds  wheeled  upwards 
into  the  heavens,  filling  the  air  with  their  complaints  at 
having  been  robbed  of  a  victim  which,  frightful  and  dis 
gusting  as  it  was,  still  bore  too  much  of  the  impression 
of  humanity  to  become  the  prey  of  their  obscene  appetites. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

"  A  pickaxe,  and  a  spade,  a  spade. 

For  and  a  shrouding  sheet 

Oh,  a  pit  of  clay  for  to  be  made 

For  such  a  guest  is  meet." 

-SONG  IN  HAMLET. 

"STAND  back!  stand  off,  the  whole  of  ye!"  said  Esther 
hoarsely  to  the  crowd,  which  pressed  too  closely  on  the 
corpse;  "I  am  his  mother,  and  my  right  is  better  than 
that  of  ye  all!  Who  has  done  this?  Tell  me,  Ishmael, 
Abiram,  Abner!  open  your  mouths  and  your  hearts,  and 
let  God's  truth  and  no  other  issue  from  them.  Who  has 
done  this  bloody  deed?" 

Her  husband  made  no  reply,  but  stood,  leaning  on  his 
rifle,  looking  sadly,  but  with  an  unaltered  eye,  at  the 
mangled  remains  of  his  son.  Not  so  the  mother;  she  threw 
herself  on  the  earth,  and  receiving  the  cold  and  ghastly 
head  into  her  lap,  she  sat  contemplating  those  muscular 
features,  on  which  the  death-agony  was  still  horridly  im 
pressed,  in  a  silence  far  more  expressive  than  any  language 
of  lamentation  could  have  proved. 

The  voice  of  the  woman  was  frozen  in  grief.  In  vain 
Ishmael  attempted  a  few  words  of  rude  consolation:  she 
neither  listened  nor  answered.  Her  sons  gathered  about 
her  in  a  circle,  and  expressed,  after  their  uncouth  manner, 
their  sympathy  in  her  sorrow,  as  well  as  their  sense  of 
their  own  loss;  but  she  motioned  them  away,  impatiently, 
with  her  hand.  At  times  her  fingers  played  in  the  matted 
hair  of  the  dead,  and  at  others  they  lightly  attempted  to 
smooth  the  painfully  expressive  muscles  of  its  ghastly 
visage,  as  the  hand  of  the  mother  is  seen  lingering  fondly 
about  the  features  of  her  sleeping  child.  Then  starting 
from  their  revolting  office,  her  hands  would  flutter  around 
her,  and  seem  to  seek  some  fruitless  remedy  against  the 
violent  blow,  which  had  thus  suddenly  destroyed  the  child 
io  whom  she  had  not  only  placed  her  greatest  hopes,  but 

154 


THE   PRAIRIE  155 

so  much  of  her  maternal  pride.  While  engaged  in  the 
latter  incomprehensible  manner,  the  lethargic  Abner 
turned  aside,  and  swallowing  the  unwonted  emotions 
which  were  arising  in  his  own  throat,  he  observed: 

"Mother  means  that  we  should  look  for  the  signs,  that 
we  may  know  in  what  manner  Asa  has  come  to  his  end." 

"We  owe  it  to  the  accursed  Sioux!"  answered  Ish- 
mael;  "twice  have  they  put  me  deeply  in  their  debt!  The 
third  time  the  score  shall  be  cleared!" 
i  But,  not  content  with  this  plausible  explanation,  and 
perhaps  secretly  glad  to  avert  their  eyes  from  a  spectacle 
which  awakened  so  extraordinary  and  unusual  sensations 
in  their  sluggish  bosoms,  the  sons  of  the  squatter  turned 
away  in  a  body  from  their  mother  and  the  corpse,  and 
proceeded  to  make  the  inquiries  which  they  fancied  the 
former  had  so  repeatedly  demanded.  Ishmael  made  no 
objections;  but,  though  he  accompanied  his  children  while 
they  proceeded  in  the  investigation,  it  was  more  with  the 
appearance  of  complying  with  their  wishes,  at  a  time 
when  resistance  might  not  be  seemly,  than  with  any  visible 
interest  in  the  result.  As  the  borderers,  notwithstanding 
their  usual  dullness,  were  well  instructed  in  most  things 
connected  with  their  habits  of  life,  an  inquiry,  the  success 
of  which  depended  so  much  on  signs  and  evidences  that 
bore  so  strong  a  resemblance  to  a  forest  trail,  was  likely 
to  be  conducted  with  skill  and  acuteness.  Accordingly, 
they  proceeded  to  the  melancholy  task  with  great  readiness 
and  intelligence. 

Abner  and  Enoch  agreed  in  their  accounts  as  to  the  po 
sition  in  which  they  had  found  the  body.  It  was  seated 
nearly  upright,  the  back  supported  by  a  mass  of  matted 
brush,  and  one  hand  still  grasping  a  broken  twig  of  the 
alders.  It  was  most  probably  owing  to  the  former  circum 
stance  that  the  body  had  escaped  the  rapacity  of  the  carrion 
birds,  which  had  been  seen  hovering  above  the  thicket, 
and  the  latter  proved  that  life  had  not  yet  entirely  aban 
doned  the  hapless  victim  when  he  entered  the  brake.  The 
opinion  now  became  general,  that  the  youth  had  received 
his  death-wound  in  the  open  prairie,  and  had  dragged  his 
enfeebled  form  into  the  cover  of  the  thicket  for  the  pur 
pose  of  concealment.  A  trail  through  the  bushes  confirmed 


156  THE   PRAIRIE 

this  opinion.  It  also  appeared,  on  examination,  that  a 
desperate  struggle  had  taken  place  on  the  very  margin  of 
the  thicket.  This  was  sufficiently  apparent  by  the  trodden 
branches,  the  deep  impressions  on  the  moist  ground,  and 
the  lavish  flow  of  blood. 

"He  has  been  shot  in  the  open  ground  and  come  here 
f or  a  cover, "  said  Abiram;  "these  marks  would  clearly 
prove  it.  The  boy  has  been  set  upon  by  the  savages  in  a 
body,  and  has  fou't  like  a  hero  as  he  was,  until  they  have 
mastered  his  strength,  and  then  drawn  him  to  the  bushes. " 

To  this  probable  opinion  there  was  now  but  one  dis 
senting  voice,  that  of  the  slow-minded  Ishmael,  who  de 
manded  that  the  corpse  itself  should  be  examined  in  order 
to  obtain  a  more  accurate  knowledge  of  its  injuries.  On 
examination  it  appeared  that  a  rifle  bullet  had  passed  di 
rectly  through  the  body  of  the  deceased,  entering  beneath 
one  of  his  brawny  shoulders,  and  making  its  exit  by  the 
breast.  It  required  some  knowledge  in  gun-shot  wounds 
to  decide  this  delicate  point,  but  the  experience  of  the 
borderers  was  quite  equal  to  the  scrutiny;  and  a  smile  of 
wild  and  certainly  of  singular  satisfaction,  passed  among 
the  sons  of  Ishmael,  when  Abner  confidently  announced 
that  the  enemies  of  Asa  had  assailed  him  in  the  rear. 

"It  must  be  so,"  said  the  gloomy  but  attentive  squat 
ter.  "He  was  of  too  good  a  stock,  and  too  well  trained, 
knowingly  to  turn  the  weak  side  to  man  or  beast!  Re 
member,  boys,  that  while  the  front  of  manhood  is  to  your 
enemy,  let  him  be  who  or  what  he  may,  you  ar'  safe  from 
cowardly  surprise.  Why,  Eester,  woman!  you  ar'  getting 
beside  yourself  with  picking  at  the  hair  and  the  garments 
of  the  child.  Little  good  can  you  do  him  now,  old  girl." 

"See!"  interrupted  Enoch,  extricating  from  the  frag 
ments  of  cloth  the  morsel  of  lead  which  had  prostrated 
the  strength  of  one  so  powerful;  "here  is  the  very  bullet!" 

Ishmael  took  it  in  his  hand  and  eyed  it  long  and  closely. 

"There's  no  mistake,"  at  length  he  muttered  through 
his  compressed  teeth.  "It  is  from  the  pouch  of  that  ac 
cursed  trapper.  Like  many  of  the  hunters,  he  has  a  mark 
in  his  mould,  in  order  to  know  the  work  his  rifle  per 
forms;  and  here  you  see  it  plainly — six  little  holes  laid 
crossways. ' ' 


THE   PRAIRIE  157 

"I'll  swear  to  it, "cried  Abiram,  triumphantly.  "He 
showed  me  his  private  mark,  himself,  and  boasted  of  the 
number  of  deer  he  had  laid  upon  the  prairies  with  these 
very  bullets.  Now,  Ishmael,  will  you  believe  me  when  I 
tell  you  the  old  knave  is  a  spy  of  the  red-skins?" 

The  lead  passed  from  the  hand  of  one  to  that  of  another; 
and  unfortunately  for  the  reputation  of  the  old  man,  sev 
eral  among  them  remembered  also  to  have  seen  the  afore 
said  private  bullet-marks,  during  the  curious  examination 
which  all  had  made  of  his  accouterments.  In  addition  to 
this  wound,  however,  were  many  others  of  a  less  dangerous 
nature,  all  of  which  were  deemed  to  confirm  the  supposed 
guilt  of  the  trapper. 

The  traces  of  many  different  struggles  were  to  be  seen 
between  the  spot  where  the  first  blood  was  spilt  and  the 
thicket  to  which  it  was  now  generally  believed  Asa  had 
retreated  as  a  place  of  refuge.  These  were  interpreted 
into  so  many  proofs  of  the  weakness  of  the  murderer,  who 
would  have  sooner  despatched  his  victim,  had  not  even  the 
dying  strength  of  the  youth  rendered  him  formidable  to 
the  infirmities  of  one  so  old.  The  danger  of  drawing  some 
others  of  the  hunters  to  the  spot,  by  repeated  firing,  was 
deemed  a  sufficient  reason  for  not  again  resorting  to  the 
rifle  after  it  had  performed  the  important  duty  of  disabling 
the  victim.  The  weapon  of  the  dead  man  was  not  to  be 
found,  and  had  doubtless,  together  with  many  other  less 
valuable  and  lighter  articles  that  he  was  accustomed  to 
carry  about  his  person,  become  a  prize  to  his  destroyer. 

But  what,  in  addition  to  the  tell-tale  bullet,  appeared 
to  fix  the  ruthless  deed  with  peculiar  certainty  on  the 
trapper,  was  the  accumulated  evidence  furnished  by  the 
trail;  which  proved,  notwithstanding  his  deadly  hurt,  that 
the  wounded  man  had  still  been  able  to  make  a  long  and  i 
desperate  resistance  to  the  subsequent  efforts  of  his  mur 
derer    Ishmael  seemed  to  press  this  proof  with  a  smgula 
mixture  of  sorrow  and  pride:  sorrow  at  the  loss  of  a  si 
whom,  in  their  moments  of  amity,  he  highly  valued;  an< 
pride  at  the  courage  and  power  he  had  manifest 
last  and  weakest  breath. 

"He  died  as  a  son  of  mine  should  die,"  said  the  squat 
ter,  gleaning  a  hollow  consolation  from  so  unnatura 


158  THE  PRAIRIE 

exultation;  "a  dread  to  his  enemy  to  the  last,  and  with 
out  help  from  the  law!  Come,  children;  we  have  the  grave 
to  make,  and  then  to  hunt  his  murderer." 

The  sons  of  the  squatter  set  about  their  melancholy 
office  in  silence  and  in  sadness.  An  excavation  was  made 
in  the  hard  earth  at  a  great  expense  of  toil  and  time,  and 
the  body  was  wrapped  in  such  spare  vestments  as  could  be 
collected  among  the  laborers.  When  these  arrangements 
were  completed,  Ishmael  approached  the  seemingly  un 
conscious  Esther,  and  announced  his  intention  to  inter  the 
dead.  She  heard  him,  and  quietly  relinquished  her  grasp 
of  the  corpse,  rising  in  silence  to  follow  it  to  its  narrow 
resting-place.  Here  she  seated  herself  again  at  the  head 
of  the  grave,  watching  each  movement  of  the  youths  with 
eager  and  jealous  eyes.  When  a  sufficiency  of  earth  was 
laid  upon  the  senseless  clay  of  Asa  to  protect  it  from  injury, 
Enoch  and  Abner  entered  the  cavity,  and  trod  it  into  a 
solid  mass  by  the  weight  of  their  huge  frames,  with  an 
appearance  of  a  strange,  not  to  say  savage,  mixture  of 
care  and  indifference.  This  well-known  precaution  was 
adopted  to  prevent  the  speedy  exhumation  of  the  body  by 
some  of  the  carnivorous  beasts  of  the  prairie,  whose  in 
stinct  was  sure  to  guide  them  to  the  spot.  Even  the  rapa 
cious  birds  appeared  to  comprehend  the  nature  of  the 
ceremony,  for,  mysteriously  apprised  that  the  miserable 
victim  was  now  about  to  be  abandoned  by  the  human  race, 
they  once  more  began  to  make  their  airy  circuits  above 
the  place,  screaming  as  if  to  frighten  the  kinsmen  from 
their  labor  of  caution  and  love. 

Ishmael  stood,  with  folded  arms,  steadily  watching  the 
manner  in  which  this  necessary  duty  was  performed,  and 
when  the  whole  was  completed,  he  lifted  his  cap  to  his 
sons,  to  thank  them  for  their  services,  with  a  dignity  that 
would  have  become  one  much  better  nurtured.  Through 
out  the  whole  of  a  ceremony  which  is  ever  solemn  and 
admonitory,  the  squatter  had  maintained  a  grave  and  seri 
ous  deportment.  His  vast  features  were  visibly  stamped 
with  an  expression  of  deep  concern;  but  at  no  time  did 
they  falter,  until  he  turned  his  back,  as  he  believed  for 
ever,  on  the  grave  of  his  first-born.  Nature  was  then 
stirring  powerfully  within  him,  and  the  muscles  of  his 


THE  PRAIRIE  159 

stern  visage  began  to  work  perceptibly.  His  children 
fastened  their  eyes  on  his,  as  if  to  seek  a  direction  to  the 
strange  emotions  which  were  moving  their  own  heavy 
natures,  when  the  struggle  in  the  bosom  of  the  squatter 
suddenly  ceased,  and,  taking  his  wife  by  the  arm,  he 
raised  her  to  her  feet  as  if  she  had  been  an  infant,  saying 
in  a  voice  that  was  perfectly  steady,  though  a  nice  ob 
server  would  have  discovered  that  it  was  kinder  than  usual : 

"Eester,  we  have  now  done  all  that  man  and  woman 
can  do.  We  raised  the  boy,  and  made  him  such  as  few 
others  ^were  like,  on  the  frontiers  of  America;  and  we 
have  given  him  a  grave.  Let  us  go  our  way. " 

The  woman  turned  her  eyes  slowly  from  the  fresh  earth, 
and  laying  her  hands  on  the  shoulders  of  her  husband 
stood,  looking  him  anxiously  in  the  eyes. 

"Ishmael!  Ishmael!"  she  said,  "you  parted  from  the 
boy  in  your  wrath!" 

"May  the  Lord  pardon  his  sins  freely  as  I  have  forgiven 
his  worst  misdeeds!"  calmly  returned  the  squatter; 
"woman  go  you  back  to  the  rock  and  read  your  Bible;  a 
chapter  in  that  book  always  does  you  good.  You  caw- 
read,  Eester;  which  is  a  privilege  I  never  did  enjoy." 

"Yes,  yes,"  muttered  the  woman,  yielding  to  his 
strength,  and  suffering  herself  to  be  led,  though  with 
strong  reluctance,  from  the  spot.  "I  can  read;  and  how 
have  I  used  the  knowledge!  But  he,  Ishmael,  he  has  not 
the  sin  of  wasted  Taming  to  answer  for.  We  have  spared 
him  that  at  least!  whether  it  be  in  mercy  or  in  cruelty, 
I  know  not. ' ' 

Her  husband  made  no  reply  but  continued  steadily  to 
lead  her  in  the  direction  of  her  temporary  abode.  When 
they  reached  the  summit  of  the  swell  of  the  land,  which 
they  knew  was  the  last  spot  from  which  the  situation  of 
the  grave  of  Asa  could  be  seen,  they  all  turned,  as  by 
common  concurrence,  to  take  a  farewell  view  of  the  place. 
The  little  mound  itself  was  not  visible;  but  it  was  fright 
fully  indicated  by  the  flock  of  screaming  birds  which  hov 
ered  above.  In  the  opposite  direction  a  low,  blue  hillock, 
in  the  skirts  of  the  horizon,  pointed  out  the  place  where 
Esther  had  left  the  rest  of  her  young,  and  served  as  an 
attraction  to  draw  her  reluctant  steps  from  the  last  abode 


160  THE   PRAIRIE 

of  her  eldest-born.  Nature  quickened  in  the  bosom  of  the 
mother  at  the  sight;  and  she  finally  yielded  the  rights  of 
the  dead  to  the  more  urgent  claims  of  the  living. 

The  foregoing  occurrences  had  struck  a  spark  from  the 
stern  tempers  of  a  set  of  beings  so  singularly  moulded  in 
the  habits  of  their  uncultivated  lives,  which  served  to 
keep  alive  among  them  the  dying  embers  of  family  affec 
tion.  United  to  their  parents  by  ties  no  stronger  than 
those  which  use  had  created,  there  had  been  great  danger, 
as  Ishmael  had  foreseen,  that  the  overloaded  hive  would 
swarm,  and  leave  him  saddled  with  the  difficulties  of  a 
young  and  helpless  brood,  unsupported  by  the  exertions  of 
those  whom  he  had  already  brought  to  a  state  of  maturity. 
The  spirit  of  insubordination,  which  emanated  from  the 
unfortunate  Asa,  had  spread  among  his  juniors;  and  the 
squatter  had  been  made  painfully  to  remember  the  time 
when,  in  the  wantonness  of  his  youth  and  vigor,  he  had, 
reversing  the  order  of  the  brutes,  cast  off  his  own  aged 
and  failing  parents,  to  enter  into  the  world  unshackled 
and  free.  But  the  danger  had  now  abated,  for  a  time  at 
least;  and  if  his  authority  was  not  restored  with  all  its 
former  influence,  it  was  admitted  to  exist,  and  to  main 
tain  its  ascendency  a  little  longer. 

It  is  true  that  his  slow-minded  sons,  even  while  they 
submitted  to  the  impressions  of  the  recent  event,  had 
glimmerings  of  terrible  distrust  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  their  eldest  brother  had  met  with  his  death.  There 
were  faint  and  indistinct  images  in  the  minds  of  two  or 
three  of  the  oldest,  which  portrayed  the  father  himself  as 
ready  to  imitate  the  example  of  Abraham,  without  the 
justification  of  the  sacred  authority  which  commanded  the 
holy  man  to  attempt  the  revolting  office.  But  then  these 
images  were  so  transient,  and  so  much  obscured  in  intel 
lectual  mists,  as  to  leave  no  very  strong  impressions;  and 
the  tendency  of  the  whole  transaction,  as  we  have  already 
said,  was  rather  to  strengthen  than  to  weaken  the  author 
ity  of  Ishmael. 

In  this  disposition  of  mind  the  party  continued  their 
route  towards  the  place  whence  they  had  that  morning 
issued  on  a  search  which  had  been  crowned  with  so  mel 
ancholy  a  success. 


THE   PRAIRIE  161 

The  long  and  fruitless  march  which  they  had  made 
under  the  direction  of  Abiram,  the  discovery  of  the  body 
and  its  subsequent  interment,  had  so  far  consumed  the  day 
that  by  the  time  their  steps  were  retraced  across  the  broad 
tract  of  waste  which  lay  between  the  grave  of  Asa  and  the 
rock,  the  sun  had  fallen  far  below  his  meridian  altitude. 
The  hill  had  gradually  risen  as  they  approached,  like 
some  tower  emerging  from  the  bosom  of  the  sea,  and 
when  within  a  mile,  the  minuter  objects  that  crowned  its 
height  came  dimly  into  view. 

"It  will  be  a  sad  meeting  for  the  girls!"  said  Ishmael, 
who,  from  time  to  time,  did  not  cease  to  utter  something 
which  he  intended  should  be  consolatory  to  the  bruised 
spirit  of  his  partner.  "Asa  was  much  regarded  by  all  the 
young,  and  seldom  failed  to  bring  in  from  his  hunts  some 
thing  that  they  loved." 

"He  did,  he  did,"  murmured  Esther;  "the  boy  was  the 
pride  of  the  family.  My  other  children  are  as  nothing 
to  him." 

"Say  not  so,  good  woman,"  returned  the  father,  glanc 
ing  his  eye  a  little  proudly  at  the  athletic  train  which 
followed  at  no  great  distance  in  the  rear.  "Say  not  so, 
old  Eester;  for  few  fathers  and  mothers  have  greater 
reason  to  be  boastful  than  ourselves. ' ' 

"Thankful,  thankful,"  muttered  the  humbled  woman; 
"ye  mean  thankful,  Ishmael!" 

"Then  thankful  let  it  be,  if  you  like  the  word  better, 
my  good  girl, — but  what  has  become  of  Nelly  and  the 
young!  The  child  has  forgotten  the  charge  I  gave  her, 
and  has  not  only  suffered  the  children  to  sleep,  but  I  war 
rant  you  is  dreaming  of  the  fields  of  Tennessee  at  this 
very  moment.  The  mind  of  your  niece  is  mainly  fixed  on 
the  settlements,  I  reckon." 

"Ay,  she  is  not  for  us;  I  said  it,  and  thought  it,  when 
I  took  her,  because  death  had  stripped  her  of  all  other 
friends.  Death  is  a  sad  worker  in  the  bosoms  of  families, 
Ishmael!  Asa  had  a  kind  feeling  to  the  child,  and  they 
might  have  come  one  day  into  our  places,  had  things  been 
so  ordered." 

"Nay,  she  is  not  gifted  for  a  frontier  wife,  if  this  is 
the  manner  she  is  to  keep  house  while  the  husband  is  on 

11 


162  THE   PRAIEIE 

the  hunt.  Abner,  let  off  your  rifle,  that  they  may  know 
we  ar'  coming.  I  fear  Nelly  and  the  young  ar'  asleep." 

The  young  man  complied  with  an  alacrity  that  mani 
fested  how  gladly  he  would  see  the  rounded,  active  figure 
of  Ellen  enlivening  the  ragged  summit  of  the  rock.  But 
the  report  was  succeeded  by  neither  signal  nor  answer  of 
any  sort.  For  a  moment  the  whole  party  stood  in  suspense, 
awaiting  the  result,  and  then  a  simultaneous  impulse 
caused  the  whole  to  let  off  their  pieces  at  the  same  instant, 
producing  a  noise  which  might  not  fail  to  reach  the  ears 
of  all  within  so  short  a  distance. 

"Ah!  there  they  come  at  last!"  cried  Abiram,  who  was 
usually  among  the  first  to  seize  on  any  circumstance  which 
promised  relief  from  disagreeable  apprehensions. 

"It  is  a  petticoat  fluttering  on  the  line,"  said  Esther; 
"I  put  it  there  myself." 

"You  are  right:  but  now  she  comes;  the  jade  has  been 
taking  her  comfort  in  the  tent!" 

"It  is  not  so, "  said  Ishmael,  whose  usually  inflexible 
features  were  beginning  to  manifest  the  uneasiness  he 
felt.  "It  is  the  tent  itself  blowing  about  loosely  in  the 
wind.  They  have  loosened  the  bottom,  like  silly  children 
as  they  ar'  and  unless  care  is  had,  the  whole  will  come 
down!" 

The  words  were  scarcely  uttered  before  a  rushing  blast 
of  wind  swept  by  the  spot  where  they  stood,  raising  the 
dust  in  little  eddies,  in  its  progress;  and  then,  as  if  guided 
by  a  master  hand,  it  quitted  the  earth,  and  mounted  to  the 
precise  spot  on  which  all  eyes  were  just  then  riveted.  The 
loosened  linen  felt  its  influence  and  tottered;  but  regained 
its  poise,  and  for  a  moment  it  became  tranquil.  The  cloud 
of  leaves  next  played  in  circling  revolutions  around  the 
place,  and  then  descended  with  the  velocity  of  a  swooping 
hawk,  and  sailed  away  into  the  prairie  in  long  straight 
lines,  like  a  flight  of  swallows  resting  on  their  expanded 
wings.  They  were  followed  for  some  distance  by  the  snow 
white  tent,  which,  however,  soon  fell  behind  the  rock, 
leaving  its  highest  peak  as  naked  as  when  it  lay  in  the 
entire  solitude  of  the  desert. 

'  'The  murderers  have  been  here ! ' '  moaned  Esther.  "My 
babes!  my  babes!" 


THE   PRAIRIE  163 

For  a  moment  even  Ishmael  faltered  before  the  weight 
of  so  unexpected  a  blow.  But  shaking  himself  like  an 
awakened  lion,  he  sprang  forward,  and  pushing  aside  the 
impediments  of  the  barrier  as  if  they  had  been  feathers, 
he  rushed  up  the  ascent  with  an  impetuosity  which  proved 
how  formidable  a  sluggish  nature  may  become  when 
thoroughly  aroused. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

"  Whose  party  do  the  townsmen  yet  admit?" 

—KING  JOHN. 

IN  order  to  preserve  an  even  pace  between  the  incidents 
of  the  tale,  it  becomes  necessary  to  revert  to  such  events 
as  occurred  during  the  ward  of  Ellen  Wade. 

For  the  first  few  hours  the  cares  of  the  honest  and  warm 
hearted  girl  were  confined  to  the  simple  offices  of  satisfy 
ing  the  of  ten- repeated  demands  which  her  younger  asso 
ciates  made  on  her  time  and  patience,  under  the  pretenses 
of  hunger,  thirst,  and  all  the  other  ceaseless  wants  of  cap 
tious  and  inconsiderate  childhood.  She  had  seized  a  mo 
ment  from  their  importunities  to  steal  into  the  tent,  where 
she  was  administering  to  the  comforts  of  one  far  more 
deserving  of  her  tenderness,  when  an  outcry  among  the 
children  recalled  her  to  the  duties  she  had  momentarily 
forgotten. 

"See,  Nelly,  see!"  exclaimed  half  a  dozen  eager  voices; 
"yonder  ar'  men;  and  Phoebe  says  that  they  ar'  Sioux 
Indians!" 

Ellen  turned  her  eyes  in  the  direction  in  which  so  many 
arms  were  already  extended,  and  to  her  consternation  be 
held  several  men  advancing,  manifestly  and  swiftly,  in  a 
straight  line  towards  the  rock.  She  counted  four,  but 
was  unable  to  make  out  anything  concerning  their  charac 
ters,  except  that  they  were  not  any  of  those  who  of  right 
were  entitled  to  admission  into  the  fortress.  It  was  a  fear 
ful  moment  for  Ellen.  Looking  around  at  the  juvenile  and 
frightened  flock  that  pressed  upon  the  skirts  of  her  gar 
ments,  she  endeavored  to  recall  to  her  confused  faculties 
some  one  of  the  many  tales  of  female  heroism  with  which 
the  history  of  the  western]  frontier  abounded.  In  one,  a 
stockade  had  been  successfully  defended  by  a  single  man, 
supported  by  three  or  four  women,  for  days,  against  the 
assaults  of  a  hundred  enemies.  In  another,  the  women 
alone  had  been  able  to  protect  the  children,  and  the  less. 

164 


THE  PRAIRIE  165 

valuable  effects  of  their  absent  husbands;  and  a  third  was 
not  wanting,  in  which  a  solitary  female  had  destroyed  her 
sleeping  captors  and  given  liberty  not  only  to  herself  but 
to  a  brood  of  helpless  young.  This  was  the  case  most 
nearly  assimilated  to  the  situation  in  which  Ellen  now 
found  herself;  and,  with  flushing  cheeks  and  kindling  eyes, 
the  girl  began  to  consider,  and  to  prepare  her  slender 
means  of  defense. 

She  posted  the  larger  girls  at  the  little  levers  that  were 
to  cast  the  rocks  on  the  assailants;  the  smaller  were  to  be 
used  more  for  show  than  any  positive  service  they  could 
perform;  while  like  any  other  leader  she  reserved  her  own 
person  as  a  superintendent  and  encourager  of  the  whole. 
When  these  dispositions  were  made  she  endeavored  to 
await  the  issue  with  an  air  of  composure  that  she  intended 
should  inspire  her  assistants  with  the  confidence  necessary 
to  insure  success. 

Although  Ellen  was  vastly  their  superior  in  that  spirit 
which  emanates  from  moral  qualities,  she  was  by  no 
means  the  equal  of  the  two  oldest  daughters  of  Esther,  in 
the  important  military  property  of  insensibility  to  dan 
ger.  Reared  in  the  hardihood  of  a  migrating  life  on  the 
skirts  of  society,  where  they  had  become  familiarized  to 
the  sights  and  dangers  of  the  wilderness,  these  girls  prom 
ised  fairly  to  become,  at  some  future  day,  no  less  distin 
guished  than  their  mother  for  daring  and  for  that  singular 
mixture  of  good  and  evil,  which,  in  a  wider  sphere  of 
action,  would  probably  have  enabled  the  wife  of  the 
squatter  to  enroll  her  name  among  the  remarkable  females 
of  her  time.  Esther  had  already,  on  one  occasion,  made 
good  the  log  tenement  of  Ishmael  against  an  inroad  of 
savages ;  and  on  another,  she  had  been  left  for  dead  by  her 
enemies,  after  a  defense  that,  with  a  more  civilized  foe, 
would  have  entitled  her  to  the  honors  of  a  liberal  capitula 
tion.  These  facts,  and  sundry  others  of  a  similar  nature, 
had  often  been  recapitulated  with  suitable  exultation  in 
the  presence  of  her  daughters,  and  the  bosoms  of  the 
young  Amazons  were  now  strangely  fluctuating  between 
natural  terror  and  the  ambitious  wish  to  do  something 
that  might  render  them  worthy  of  being  the  children  of 
such  a  mother.  It  appeared  that  the  opportunity  for  dis- 


166  THE   PRAIRIE 

tinction  of  this  wild  character  was  no  longer  to  be  denied 
them. 

The  party  of  strangers  was  already  within  a  hundred 
rods  of  the  rock.  Either  consulting  their  usual  wary 
method  of  advancing,  or  admonished  by  the  threatening 
attitudes  of  two  figures,  who  had  thrust  forth  the  barrels 
of  as  many  old  muskets  from  behind  the  stone  entrench 
ment,  the  new-comers  halted,  under  favor  of  an  inequality 
in  the  ground,  where  a  growth  of  grass  thicker  than  com 
mon  offered  the  advantage  of  concealment.  From  this 
spot  they  reconnoitered  the  fortress  for  several  anxious, 
and  to  Ellen,  interminable  minutes.  Then  one  advanced 
singly,  and  apparently  more  in  the  character  of  a  herald 
than  of  an  assailant. 

"Phoebe,  do  you  fire,"  and  "No,  Hetty,  you,"  were 
beginning  to  be  heard  between  the  half  frightened  and 
yet  eager  daughters  of  the  squatter,  when  Ellen  probably 
saved  the  advancing  stranger  from  some  imminent  alarm, 
if  from  no  greater  danger,  by  exclaiming: 

"Lay  down  the  muskets;  it  is  Dr.  Battius!" 

Her  subordinates  so  far  complied  as  to  withdraw  their 
hands  from  the  locks,  though  the  threatening  barrels  still 
maintained  the  portentous  levels.  The  naturalist,  who 
had  advanced  with  sufficient  deliberation  to  note  the 
smallest  hostile  demonstration  of  the  garrison,  now  raised 
a  white  handkerchief  on  the  end  of  his  fusee,  and  came 
within  speaking  distance  of  the  fortress.  Then  assuming 
what  he  intended  should  be  an  imposing  and  dignified 
semblance  of  authority,  he  blustered  forth  in  a  voice  that 
might  have  been  heard  at  a  much  greater  distance: 

"What,  ho!  I  summon  ye  all,  in  the  name  of  the  Con 
federacy  of  the  United  Sovereign  States  of  North  America, 
to  submit  yourselves  to  the  laws." 

"Doctor  or  no  Doctor;  he  is  an  enemy,  Nelly;  hear  him! 
hear  him!  he  talks  of  the  law." 

"Stop!  stay  till  I  hear  his  answer!"  said  the  nearly 
breathless  Ellen,  pushing  aside  the  dangerous  weapons 
which  were  again  pointed  in  the  direction  of  the  shrink 
ing  person  of  the  herald. 

"I  admonish  and  forewarn  ye  all,"  continued  the  start 
led  Doctor,  "that  I  am  a  peaceful  citizen  of  the  before 


THE   PRAIRIE  167 

named  Confederacy,  or  to  speak  with  greater  accuracy, 
Union,  a  supporter  of  the  social  compact,  and  a  lover  of 
good  order  and  amity;"  then,  perceiving  that  the  danger 
was  at  least  temporarily  removed,  he  once  more  raised  his 
voice  to  the  hostile  pitch:  "I  charge  ye  all,  therefore,  to 
submit  to  the  laws." 

"I  thought  you  were  a  friend, ' '  Ellen  replied ;  "and  that 
you  traveled  with  my  uncle,  in  virtue  of  an  agreement." 

"It  is  void!  I  have  been  deceived  in  the  very  prem 
ises,  and  I  hereby  pronounce  a  certain  compactum,  entered 
into  and  concluded  between  Ishmael  Bush,  squatter,  and 
Obed  Battius,  M.  D.,  to  be  incontinently  null  and  of  non- 
effect.  Nay,  children,  to  be  null  is  merely  a  negative 
property,  and  is  fraught  with  no  evil  to  your  worthy  par 
ent;  so  lay  aside  the  fire-arms,  and  listen  to  the  admoni 
tions  of  reason.  I  declare  it  vicious — null — abrogated. 
As  for  thee,  Nelly,  my  feelings  towards  thee  are  not  at  all 
given  to  hostility;  therefore  listen  to  that  which  I  have 
to  utter,  nor  turn  away  thine  ears  in  the  wantonness  of 
security.  Thou  knowest  the  character  of  the  man  with 
whom  thou  dwellest,  young  woman,  and  thou  also  knowest 
the  danger  of  being  found  in  evil  company.  Abandon 
then,  the  trifling  advantages  of  thy  situation,  and  yield 
the  rock  peaceably  to  the  will  of  those  who  accompany  me 
— a  legion,  young  woman — I  do  assure  you  an  invincible 
and  powerful  legion!  Render,  therefore,  the  effects  of 
this  lawless  and  wicked  squatter — nay,  children,  such  dis 
regard  of  human  life  is  frightful  in  those  who  have  so 
recently  received  the  gift,  in  their  own  persons!  Point 
those  dangerous  weapons  aside,  I  entreat  of  you;  more  for 
your  own  sakes  than  for  mine.  Hetty,  hast  thou  forgotten 
who  appeased  thine  anguish,  when  thy  auricular  nerves 
were  tortured  by  the  colds  and  damps  of  the  naked  earth ! 
and  thou,  Phoebe,  ungrateful  and  forgetful  Phoebe!  but 
for  this  very  arm,  which  you  would  prostrate  with  an 
endless  paralysis,  thy  incisors  would  still  be  giving  thee 
pain  and  sorrow!  Lay,  then,  aside  thy  weapons,  and 
hearken  to  the  advice  of  one  who  has  always  been  thy 
friend.  And  now,  young  women, ' '  still  keeping  a  jealous 
eye  on  the  muskets  which  the  girl  had  suffered  to  b 
verted  a  little  from  their  own  aim,— "and  now  young 


168  THE   PRAIRIE 

women,  for  the  last,  and  therefore  the  most  solemn  ask 
ing:  I  demand  of  thee  the  surrender  of  this  rock,  without 
delay  or  resistance,  in  the  joint  names  of  power,  of  jus 
tice,  and  of  the" — law  he  would  have  added;  but  recol 
lecting  that  this  ominous  word  would  again  provoke  the 
hostility  of  the  squatter's  children,  he  succeeded  in  swal 
lowing  it  in  good  season,  and  concluded  with  the  less  dan 
gerous  and  more  convertible  term  of  "reason." 

This  extraordinary  summons  failed,  however,  of  pro 
ducing  the  desired  effect.  It  proved  utterly  unintelligible 
to  his  younger  listeners,  with  the  exception  of  the  few 
offensive  terms,  already  sufficiently  distinguished;  and 
though  Ellen  better  comprehended  the  meaning  of  the 
herald,  she  appeared  as  little  moved  by  his  rhetoric  as  her 
companions.  At  those  passages  which  he  intended  should 
be  tender  and  affecting,  the  intelligent  girl,  though  tor 
tured  by  painful  feelings,  had  even  manifested  a  disposi 
tion  to  laugh,  while  to  the  threats  she  turned  an  utterly 
insensible  ear. 

"I  know  not  the  meaning  of  all  you  wish  to  say,  Dr. 
Battius, "  she  quietly  replied,  when  he  had  ended;  "but  I 
am  sure  if  it  would  teach  me  to  betray  my  trust,  it  is 
what  I  ought  not  to  hear.  I  caution  you  to  attempt  no 
violence,  for  let  my  wishes  be  what  they  may,  you  see  I 
am  surrounded  by  a  force  that  can  easily  put  me  down, 
and  you  know,  or  ought  to  know,  too  well  the  temper  of 
this  family,  to  trifle  in  such  a  matter  with  any  if  its 
members,  let  them  be  of  what  sex  or  age  they  may." 

"I  am  not  entirely  ignorant  of  human  character,"  re 
turned  the  naturalist,  prudently  receding  a  little  from 
the  position  which  he  had  until  now  stoutly  maintained  at 
the  very  base  of  the  hill.  "But  here  comes  one  who  may 
know  its  secret  windings  still  better  than  I." 

"Ellen!  Ellen  Wade,"  cried  Paul  Hover,  who  had  ad 
vanced  to  his  elbow,  without  betraying  any  of  that  sensi 
tiveness  which  had  so  manifestly  discomposed  the  Doctor, 
"I  didn't  expect  to  find  an  enemy  in  you!" 

"Nor  shall  you,  when  you  ask  that  which  I  can  grant 
without  treachery.  You  know  that  my  uncle  has  trusted 
his  family  to  my  care,  and  shall  I  so  far  betray  the  trust 
as  to  let  in  his  bitterest  enemies  to  murder  his  children 


THE   PRAIRIE  169 

perhaps,  and  to  rob  him  of  the  little  which  the  Indians 
have  left?" 

"Arn^I  a  murderer— is  this  old  man— this  officer  of  the 
States, "  pointing  to  the  trapper  and  his  newly  discovered 
friend,  both  of  whom  by  this  time  stood  at  his  side,  "is 
either  of  these  likely  to  do  the  things  you  name?" 

"What  is  it  then  you  ask  of  me?"  said  Ellen,  wringing 
her  hands,  in  excessive  doubt. 

"The  beast!  nothing  more  or  less  than  the  squatter's 
hidden  ravenous,  dangerous  beast!" 

"Excellent  young  woman,"  commenced  the  young 
stranger,  who  had  so  lately  joined  himself  to  the  party  on 
the  prairie — but  his  mouth  was  immediately  stopped  by 
a  significant  sign  from  the  trapper,  who  whispered  in  his 
ear: 

"Let  the  lad  be  our  spokesman.  Natur'  will  work  in 
the  bosom  of  the  child,  and  we  shall  gain  our  object  in 
good  time." 

"The  whole  truth  is  out,  Ellen,"  Paul  continued,  "and 
we  have  lined  the  squatter  into  his  most  secret  misdoings. 
We  have  come  to  right  the  wronged  and  to  free  the  im 
prisoned;  now,  if  you  are  the  girl  of  a  true  heart,  as  1 
have  always  believed,  so  far  from  throwing  straws  in  our 
way,  you  will  join  in  the  general  swarming,  and  leave  old 
Ishmael  and  his  hive  to  the  bees  of  his  own  breed." 
"I  have  sworn  a  solemn  oath — 

"A  compactum  which  is  entered  into  through  ignorance 
or  in  duresse,  is  null  in  the  sight  of  all  good  moralists," 
cried  the  Doctor. 

"Hush,  hush,"  again  the  trapper  whispered;  "leave  it 
all  to  natur'  and  the  lad!" 

"I  have  sworn  in  the  sight  and  by  the  name  of  Him 
who  is  the  founder  and  ruler  of  all  that  is  good,  whether 
it  be  in  morals  or  in  religion,"  Ellen  continued,  "neither 
to  reveal  the  contents  of  that  tent  nor  to  help  its  prisoner 
to  escape.  We  are  both  solemnly,  terribly  sworn;  our 
lives  perhaps  have  been  the  gift  we  received  for  the  prom 
ises.  It  is  true  you  are  masters  of  the  secret,  but  not 
through  any  means  of  ours;  nor  do  I  know  that  I  can  jus 
tify  myself  for  even  being  neutral,  while  you  attempt  to 
invade  the  dwelling  of  my  uncle  in  this  hostile  manner." 


170  THE   PRAIRIE 

"I  can  prove  beyond  the  power  of  refutation,"  the 
naturalist  eagerly  exclaimed,  "by  Paley,  Berkeley,  ay, 
even  by  the  immortal  Bynkershoeck,  that  a  compactum, 
concluded  while  one  of  the  parties,  be  it  a  state  or  be  it 
an  individual,  is  in  durance — 

"You  will  ruffle  the  temper  of  the  child  with  your 
abusive  language,"  said  the  cautious  trapper,  "while  the 
lad,  if  left  to  human  feelings,  will  bring  her  down  to  the 
meekness  of  a  fawn.  Ah!  you  are  like  myself,  little 
knowing  in  the  natur'  of  hidden  kindnesses!" 

"Is  this  the  only  vow  you  have  taken,  Ellen?"  Paul 
continued,  in  a  tone  which  for  the  gay,  light-hearted  bee- 
hunter,  sounded  dolorous  and  reproachful.  "Have  you 
sworn  only  to  this?  are  the  words  which  the  squatter  says 
to  be  as  honey  in  your  mouth,  and  all  other  promises  like 
so  much  useless  comb?" 

The  paleness  which  had  taken  possession  of  the  usually 
cheerful  countenance  of  Ellen,  was  hid  in  a  bright  glow 
that  was  plainly  visible  even  at  the  distance  at  which  she 
stood.  She  hesitated  a  moment,  as  if  struggling  to  repress 
something  very  like  resentment,  before  she  answered  with 
all  her  native  spirit. 

"I  know  not  what  right  any  one  has  to  question  me 
about  oaths  and  promises,  which  can  only  concern  her 
who  has  made  them,  if,  indeed,  any  of  the  sort  you  men 
tion  have  ever  been  made  at  all.  I  shall  hold  no  further 
discourse  with  one  who  thinks  so  much  of  himself,  and 
takes  advice  merely  of  his  own  feelings." 

"Now,  old  trapper,  do  you  hear  that!"  said  the  unso 
phisticated  bee-hunter,  turning  abruptly  to  his  aged 
friend.  "The  meanest  insect  that  skims  the  heavens, 
when  it  has  got  its  load,  flies  straight  and  honestly  to  its 
nest  or  hive,  according  to  its  kind;  but  the  ways  of  a 
woman's  mind  are  as  knotty  as  a  gnarled  oak,  and  more 
crooked  than  the  windings  of  the  Mississippi!" 

"Nay,  nay  child,"  said  the  trapper,  good-naturedly 
interfering  in  behalf  of  the  offending  Paul,  "you  are  to 
consider  that  youth  is  hasty,  and  not  overgiven  to  thought. 
But  then  a  promise  is  a  promise,  and  not  to  be  thrown 
aside  and  forgotten,  like  the  hoofs  and  horns  of  a  buffalo." 

"I  thank  you  for  reminding  me  of  my  oath,"  said  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  171 

still  resentful  Ellen,  biting  her  pretty  nether  lip  with 
vexation;  "I  might  else  have  proved  forgetful!" 

"Ah!  female  natur'  is  awakened  in  her,"  said  the  old 
man,  shaking  his  head  in  a  manner  to  show  how  much  he 
was  disappointed  in  the  result;  "but  it  manifests  itself 
against  the  true  spirit!" 

"Ellen!"  cried  the  young  stranger,  who  until  now  had 
been  an  attentive  listener  to  the  parley,  "since  Ellen  is 

the  name  by  which  you  are  known " 

"They  often  add  to  it  another.  I  am  sometimes  called 
by  the  name  of  my  father. ' ' 

"Call  her  Nelly  Wade  at  once,"  muttered  Paul;  "it  is 
her  rightful  name,  and  I  care  not  if  she  keeps  it  forever!" 
"Wade,  I  should  have  added,"  continued  the  youth. 
"You  will  acknowledge  that,  though  bound  by  no  oath 
myself,  I  at  least  have  known  how  to  respect  those  of 
others.  You  are  a  witness  yourself  that  I  have  forborne 
to  utter  a  single  call,  while  I  am  certain  it  could  reach 
those  ears  it  would  gladden  so  much.  Permit  me  then  to 
ascend  the  rock,  singly;  I  promise  a  perfect  indemnity  to 
your  kinsman,  against  any  injury  his  effects  may  sustain." 
Ellen  seemed  to  hesitate,  but  catching  a  glimpse  of 
Paul,  who  stood  leaning  proudly  on  his  rifle,  whistling, 
with  an  appearance  of  the  utmost  indifference,  the  air  of 
a  boating  song,  she  recovered  her  recollection  in  time  to 
answer : 

"I  have  been  left  the  captain  of  the  rock,  while  my 
uncle  and  his  sons  hunt,  and  captain  will  I  remain  till  he 
returns  to  receive  back  the  charge." 

"This  is  wasting  moments  that  will  not  soon  return, 
and  neglecting  an  opportunity  that  may  never  occur 
again,"  the  young  soldier  gravely  remarked.  "The  sun 
is  beginning  to  fall  already,  and  many  minutes  cannot 
elapse  before  the  squatter  and  his  savage  brood  will  be 
returning  to  their  huts." 

Doctor  Battius  cast  a  glance  behind  him,  and  took  up 
the  discourse  by  saying: 

"Perfection  is  always  found  in  maturity,  whether  it  be 
in  the  animal  or  in  the  intellectual  world.  Reflection  is 
the  mother  of  wisdom,  and  wisdom  the  parent  of  success. 
I  propose  that  we  retire  to  a  discreet  distance  from  this 


172  THE   PRAIRIE 

impregnable  position,  and  there  hold  a  convocation,  or 
council,  to  deliberate  on  what  manner  we  may  sit  down 
regularly  before  the  place;  or,  perhaps,  by  postponing 
the  siege  to  another  season,  gain  the  aid  of  auxiliaries 
from  the  inhabited  countries,  and  thus  secure  the  dignity 
of  the  laws  from  any  danger  of  a  repulse. ' ' 

"A  storm  would  be  better,"  the  soldier  smilingly  an 
swered,  measuring  the  height  and  scanning  all  its  diffi 
culties  with  a  deliberate  eye;  "  'twould  be  but  a  broken 
arm  or  a  bruised  head  at  the  worst." 

"Then  have  at  it!"  shouted  the  impetuous  bee-hunter, 
making  a  spring  that  at  once  put  him  out  of  danger  from 
shot,  by  carrying  him  beneath  the  projecting  ledge  on 
which  the  garrison  was  posted;  "now  do  your  worst,  young 
devils  of  a  wicked  breed;  you  have  but  a  moment  to  work 
your  mischief!" 

"Paul!  rash  Paul!"  shrieked  Ellen;  "another  step  and 
the  rocks  will  crush  you!  They  hang  but  by  a  thread, 
and  these  girls  are  ready  and  willing  to  let  them  fall!" 

"Then  drive  the  accursed  swarm  from  the  hive;  for 
scale  the  rock  I  will,  though  I  find  it  covered  with 
hornets. ' ' 

"Let  her  if  she  dare!"  tauntingly  cried  the  eldest  of 
the  girls,  brandishing  a  musket  with  a  mien  and  resolu 
tion  that  would  have  done  credit  to  her  Amazonian  dam. 
"I  know  you,  Nelly  Wade;  you  are  with  the  lawyers  in 
your  heart,  and  if  you  come  a  foot  nigher,  you  shall  have 
frontier  punishment.  Put  in  another  pry,  girls;  in  with 
it!  I  should  like  to  see  the  man  of  them  all  that  dare 
come  up  into  the  camp  of  Ishmael  Bush,  without  asking 
leave  of  his  children!" 

"Stir  not  Paul,  for  your  life  keep  beneath  the  rock!" 

Ellen  was  interrupted  by  the  same  bright  vision,  which 
on  the  preceding  day  had  stayed  another  scarcely  less  por 
tentous  tumult,  by  exhibiting  itself  on  the  same  giddy 
height  where  it  was  now  seen. 

"In  the  name  of  Him  who  commandeth  all,  I  implore 
you  to  pause — both  you,  who  so  madly  incur  the  risk,  and 
you,  who  so  rashly  offer  to  take  that  which  you  never  can 
return!"  said  a  voice,  in  a  slightly  foreign  accent,  that 
instantly  drew  all  eyes  upwards. 


THE   PRAIRIE  173 

« 

"Inez!"  cried  the  officer,  "do  I  again  see  you!  Mine 
shall  you  now  be,  though  a  million  devils  were  posted  on 
this  rock.  Push  up,  brave  woodsman,  and  give  room  for 
another ! ' ' 

The  sudden  appearance  of  the  figure  from  the  tent  had 
created  a  momentary  stupor  among  the  defenders  of  the 
rock,  which  might,  with  suitable  forbearance,  have  been 
happily  improved;  but  startled  by  the  voice  of  Middleton, 
the  surprised  Phoebe  discharged  her  musket  at  the  female, 
scarcely  knowing  whether  she  aimed  at  the  life  of  a  mor 
tal  or  at  some  being  which  belonged  to  another  world. 
Ellen  uttered  a  cry  of  horror,  and  then  sprang  after  her 
alarmed  or  wounded  friend,  she  knew  not  which,  into  the 
tent. 

During  this  moment  of  dangerous  by-play,  the  sounds 
of  a  serious  attack  were  very  distinctly  audible  beneath. 
Paul  had  profited  by  the  commotion  over  his  head  to 
change  his  place  so  far  as  to  make  room  for  Middleton. 
The  latter  was  followed  by  the  naturalist,  who,  in  a  state 
of  mental  aberration,  produced  by  the  report  of  the 
musket,  had  instinctively  rushed  towards  the  rocks  for 
cover.  The  trapper  remained  where  he  was  last  seen,  an 
unmoved  but  close  observer  of  the  several  proceedings. 
Though  averse  to  enter  into  actual  hostilities,  the  old  man 
was,  however,  far  from  being  useless.  Favored  by  his 
position,  he  was  enabled  to  apprise  his  friends  of  the 
movements  of  those  who  plotted  their  destruction  above, 
and  to  advise  and  control  their  advance  accordingly. 

In  the  meantime,  the  children  of  Esther  were  true  to 
the  spirit  they  had  inherited  from  their  redoubtable 
mother.  The  instant  they  found  themselves  delivered 
from  the  presence  of  Ellen  and  her  unknown  companion, 
they  bestowed  an  undivided  attention  on  their  more  mas 
culine  and  certainly  more  dangerous  assailants,  who  by 
this  time  had  made  a  complete  lodgment  among  the  crags 
of  the  citadel.  The  repeated  summons  to  surrender,  which 
Paul  uttered  in  a  voice  that  he  intended  should  strike  ter 
ror  into  their  young  bosoms,  were  as  little  heeded  as  were 
the  calls  of  the  trapper  to  abandon  a  resistance  whicl 
might  prove  fatal  to  some  among  them,  without  offerin 
the  smallest  probability  of  eventual  success.  Encouraging 


174  THE   PRAIRIE 

each  other  to  persevere,  they  poised  the  fragments  of 
rocks,  prepared  the  lighter  missiles  for  immediate  service, 
and  thrust  forward  the  barrels  of  the  muskets  with  a  busi 
ness-like  air,  and  a  coolness,  that  would  have  done  credit 
to  men  practised  in  warfare. 

"Keep under  the  ledge,"  said  the  trapper,  pointing  out 
to  Paul  the  manner  in  which  he  should  proceed;  "keep  in 
your  foot  more,  lad — ah!  you  see  the  warning  was  not 
amiss!  had  the  stone  struck  it,  the  bees  would  have  had 
the  prairies  to  themselves.  Now,  namesake  of  my  friend; 
Uncas,  in  name  and  spirit!  now,  if  you  have  the  activity 
of  Le  Cerf  Agile,  you  may  make  a  fair  leap  to  the  right, 
and  gain  twenty  feet  without  danger.  Beware  the  bush — 
beware  the  bush!  'twill  prove  a  treacherous  hold!  Ah! 
he  has  done  it;  safely  and  bravely  has  he  done  it!  Your 
turn  comes  next,  friend,  that  follows  the  fruits  of  natur'. 
Push  you  to  the  left,  and  divide  the  attention  to  the  chil 
dren.  Nay,  girls,  fire — my  old  ears  are  used  to  the  whis 
tling  of  lead;  and  little  reason  have  I  to  prove  a  doe-heart 
with  fourscore  years  on  my  back. "  He  shook  his  head 
with  a  melancholy  smile,  but  without  flinching  in  a  muscle 
as  the  bullet,  which  the  exasperated  Hetty  fired,  passed 
innocently  at  no  great  distance  from  the  spot  where  he 
stood. 

"It  is  safer  keeping  in  your  track  than  dodging  when  a 
weak  finger  pulls  the  trigger,"  he  continued;  "but  it  is 
a  solemn  sight  to  witness  how  much  human  natur'  is  in 
clined  to  evil,  in  one  so  young!  Well  done,  my  man  of 
beasts  and  plants!  Another  such  leap,  and  you  may  laugh 
at  all  the  squatter's  bars  and  walls.  The  Doctor  has  got 
his  temper  up!  I  see  it  in  his  eye,  and  something  good 
will  come  of  him!  Keep  closer,  man — keep  closer!" 

The  trapper,  though  he  was  not  deceived  as  to  the  state 
of  Dr.  Battius'  mind,  was,  however,  greatly  in  error  as  to 
the  exciting  cause.  While  imitating  the  movements  of  his 
companions,  and  toiling  his  way  upwards  with  the  utmost 
caution,  and  not  without  great  inward  tribulation,  the 
eye  of  the  naturalist  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  an  unknown 
plant,  a  few  yards  above  his  head,  and  in  a  situation  more 
than  commonly  exposed  to  the  missiles  which  the  girls  were 
unceasingly  hurling  in  the  direction  of  the  assailants. 


THE   PRAIRIE  175 

Forgetting,  in  an  instant,  everything  but  the  glory  of 
being  the  first  to  give  this  jewel  to  the  catalogues  of 
science,  he  sprang  upwards  at  the  prize  with  the  avidity 
with  which  the  sparrow  darts  upon  the  butterfly.  The 
rocks,  which  instantly  came  thundering  down,  announced 
that  he  was  seen;  and  for  a  moment,  while  his  form  was 
concealed  in  the  cloud  of  dust  and  fragments  which  fol 
lowed  the  furious  descent,  the  trapper  gave  him  up  for 
lost;  but  the  next  instant  he  was  seen  safely  seated  in  a 
cavity,  formed  by  some  of  the  projecting  stones  which  had 
yielded  to  the  shock,  holding  triumphantly  in  his  hand 
the  captured  stem,  which  he  was  already  devouring  with 
delighted,  and  certainly  not  unskillful  eyes.  Paul  profited 
by  the  opportunity.  Turning  his  course,  with  the  quick 
ness  of  thought,  he  sprang  to  the  post  which  Obed  thus 
securely  occupied,  and  unceremoniously  making  a  footstool 
of  his  shoulder,  as  the  latter  stooped  over  his  treasure,  he 
bounded  through  the  breach  left  by  the  fallen  rock,  and 
gained  the  level.  He  was  followed  by  Middleton,  who 
joined  him  in  seizing  and  disarming  the  girls.  In  this 
manner  a  bloodless  and  complete  victory  was  obtained  over 
that  citadel  which  Ishmael  had  vainly  flattered  himself 
might  prove  impregnable. 


CHAPTER  XV 

"So  smile  the  heavens  upon  this  holy  actv 
That  after-hours  with  sorrow  chide  us  not." 

— SHAKESPEARET. 

IT  is  proper  that  the  course  of  the  narrative  should  be 
stayed,  while  we  revert  to  those  causes  which  have  brought 
in  their  train  of  consequences  the  singular  contest  just 
related.  The  interruption  must  necessarily  be  as  brief 
as  we  hope  it  may  prove  satisfactory  to  that  class  of  read 
ers  who  require  that  no  gap  should  be  left  by  those  who 
assume  the  office  of  historians,  for  their  own  fertile 
imaginations  to  fill. 

Among  the  troops  sent  by  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  to  take  possession  of  its  newly  acquired  territory 
in  the  west,  was  a  detachment  led  by  the  young  soldier 
who  has  become  so  busy  an  actor  in  the  scenes  of  our 
legend.  The  mild  and  indolent  descendants  of  the  ancient 
colonists  received  their  new  compatriots  without  distrust, 
well  knowing  that  the  transfer  raised  them  from  the  con 
dition  of  subjects  to  the  more  enviable  distinction  of  citi 
zens  in  a  government  of  laws.  The  new  rulers  exercised 
their  functions  with  discretion,  and  wielded  their  dele 
gated  authority  without  offense.  In  such  a  novel  inter 
mixture,  however,  of  men  born  and  nurtured  in  freedom, 
and  the  compliant  minions  of  absolute  power,  the  Catholic 
and  the  Protestant,  the  active  and  the  indolent,  some 
little  time  was  necessary  to  blend  the  discrepant  elements 
of  society.  In  attaining  so  desirable  an  end,  woman  was 
made  to  perform  her  accustomed  and  grateful  office.  The 
barriers  of  prejudice  and  religion  were  broken  through 
by  the  irresistible  power  of  the  master  passion;  and  fam 
ily  unions,  ere  long,  began  to  cement  the  political  tie 
which  had  made  a  forced  conjunction  between  people  so 
opposite  in  their  habits,  their  educations,  and  their 
opinions. 

Middleton  was  among  the  first  of  the  new  possessors  of 

176 


THE   PRAIRIE  177 

the  soil,  who  became  captive  to  the  charms  of  a  Louisi- 
anian  lady.  In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  post  he  had 
been  directed  to  occupy,  dwelt  the  chief  of  one  of  those 
ancient  colonial  families,  which  had  been  content  to  slum 
ber  for  ages  amid  the  ease,  indolence,  and  wealth  of  the 
Spanish  provinces.  He  was  an  officer  of  the  crown,  and 
had  been  induced  to  remove  from  the  Floridas,  among 
the  French  of  the  adjoining  province,  by  a  rich  succession 
of  which  he  had  become  the  inheritor.  The  name  of  Don 
Augustin  de  Certavallos  was  scarcely  known  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  little  town  in  which  he  resided,  though  he 
found  a  secret  pleasure  himself  in  pointing  it  out,  in 
large  scrolls  of  musty  documents,  to  an  only  child,  as  en 
rolled  among  the  former  heroes  and  grandees  of  Old  and 
of  New  Spain.  This  fact,  so  important  to  himself  and  of 
so  little  moment  to  anybody  else,  was  the  principal  reason 
that,  while  his  more  vivacious  Gallic  neighbors  were  not 
slow  to  open  a  frank  communion  with  their  visitors,  he 
chose  to  keep  aloof,  seemingly  content  with  the  society 
of  his  daughter,  who  was  a  girl  just  emerging  from  the 
condition  of  childhood  into  that  of  a  woman. 

The  curiosity  of  the  youthful  Inez,  however,  was  not  so 
inactive.  She  had  not  heard  the  martial  music  of  the 
garrison  melting  on  the  evening  air,  nor  seen  the  strange 
banner  which  fluttered  over  the  heights  that  rose  at  no 
great  distance  from  her  father's  extensive  grounds,  with 
out  experiencing  some  of  those  secret  impulses  which  art- 
thought  to  distinguish  the  sex.  Natural  timidity,  and  that 
retiring  and  perhaps  peculiar  lassitude,  which  forms  th? 
very  groundwork  of  female  fascination  in  the  tropical 
provinces  of  Spain,  held  her  in  their  seemingly  indissol 
uble  bonds;  and  it  is  more  than  probable,  that  had  not 
an  accident  occurred  in  which  Middleton  was  of  some 
personal  service  to  her  father,  so  long  a  time  would  have 
elapsed  before  they  met,  that  another  direction  might 
have  been  given  to  the  wishes  of  one  who  was  just  of  an 
age  to  be  alive  to  all  the  power  of  youth  and  beauty. 

Providence— or  if  that  imposing  word  is  too  just  to  t 
classical,  fate— had  otherwise  decreed.    The  haughty  ani 
reserved  Don  Augustin  was  by  far  too  observant  of  th< 
forms  of  that  station,  on  which  he  so  much  valued 
12 


178  THE   PRAIRIE 

self,  to  forget  the  duties  of  a  gentleman.  Gratitude  for 
the  kindness  of  Middleton  induced  him  to  open  his  doors 
to  the  officers  of  the  garrison,  and  to  admit  of  a  guarded 
but  polite  intercourse.  Reserve  gradually  gave  way  be 
fore  the  propriety  and  candor  of  their  spirited  young 
leader,  and  it  was  not  long  ere  the  affluent  planter  rejoiced 
as  much  as  his  daughter,  whenever  the  well-known  signal 
at  the  gate  announced  one  of  these  agreeable  visits  from 
the  commander  of  the  post. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  on  the  impression  which  the 
charms  of  Inez  produced  on  the  soldier,  or  to  delay  the 
tale  in  order  to  write  a  wire-drawn  account  of  the  pro 
gressive  influence  that  elegance  of  deportment,  manly 
beauty,  and  undivided  assiduity  and  intelligence,  were 
likely  to  produce  on  the  sensitive  mind  of  a  romantic, 
warm-hearted,  and  secluded  girl  of  sixteen.  It  is  suffi 
cient  for  our  purpose  to  say  that  they  loved,  that  the  youth 
was  not  backward  to  declare  his  feelings,  that  he  prevailed 
with  some  facility  over  the  scruples  of  the  maiden,  and 
with  no  little  difficulty  over  the  objections  of  her  father, 
and  that  before  the  province  of  Louisiana  had  been  six 
months  in  the  possession  of  the  States,  the  officer  of  the 
latter  was  the  affianced  husband  of  the  richest  heiress  on 
the  banks  of  the  Mississippi. 

Although  we  have  presumed  the  reader  to  be  acquainted 
with  the  manner  in  which  such  results  are  commonly  at 
tained,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  triumph  of  Mid 
dleton,  either  over  the  prejudices  of  the  father  or  over 
those  of  the  daughter,  was  achieved  without  difficulty. 
Religion  formed  a  stubborn  and  nearly  irremovable  ob 
stacle  with  both.  The  devoted  young  man  patiently  sub 
mitted  to  a  formidable  essay  which  Father  Ignatius  was 
deputed  to  make  in  order  to  convert  him  to  the  true  faith. 
The  effort  on  the  part  of  the  worthy  priest  was  system 
atic,  vigorous,  and  long  sustained.  A  dozen  times  (it 
was  at  those  moments  when  glimpses  of  the  light,  sylph- 
like  form  of  Inez  flitted  like  some  fairy  being  past  the 
scene  of  their  conferences)  the  good  father  fancied  he 
was  on  the  eve  of  a  glorious  triumph  over  infidelity;  but 
all  his  hopes  were  frustrated  by  some  unlooked-for  oppo 
sition  on  the  part  of  the  subject  of  his  pious  labors.  So 


THE  PRAIRIE  179 

^8  the  assault  on  his  faith  was  distant  and  feeble 
Middleton,  who  was  no  great  proficient  in  polemics  sub 
mitted  to  its  effects  with  the  patience  and  humility  of  a 
martyr;  but  the  moment  the  good  father,  who  felt  such 
concern  in  his  future  happiness,  was  tempted  to  improve 
his  vantage  ground  by  calling  in  the  aid  of  some  of  the 
peculiar  subtilties  of  his  own  creed,  the  young  man  was 
too  good  a  soldier  not  to  make  head  against  the  hot  at 
tack.  He  came  to  the  contest,  it  is  true,  with  no  weapons 
more  formidable  than  common  sense,  and  some  little 
knowledge  of  the  habits  of  his  country  as  contrasted  with 
that  of  his  adversary;  but  with  these  home-bred  imple 
ments  he  never  failed  to  repulse  the  father  with  some 
thing  of  the  power  with  which  a  nervous  cudgel-player 
would  deal  with  a  skillful  master  of  the  rapier,  setting 
at  naught  his  passadoes  by  the  direct  and  unanswerable 
arguments  of  a  broken  head  and  a  shivered  weapon. 

Before  the  controversy  was  terminated,  an  inroad  of 
Protestants  had  come  to  aid  the  soldier.  The  reckless 
freedom  of  such  among  them  as  thought  only  of  this  life, 
and  the  consistent  and  tempered  piety  of  others,  caused 
the  honest  priest  to  look  about  him  in  concern.  The  in 
fluence  of  example  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  contamina 
tion  of  too  free  an  intercourse  on  the  other,  began  to 
manifest  themselves  even  in  that  portion  of  his  own  flock 
which  he  had  supposed  to  be  too  thoroughly  folded  in 
spiritual  government  ever  to  stray.  It  was  time  to  turn 
his  thoughts  from  the  offensive,  and  to  prepare  his  fol 
lowers  to  resist  the  lawless  deluge  of  opinion  which 
threatened  to  break  down  the  barriers  of  their  faith. 
Like  a  wise  commander  who  finds  he  has  occupied  too 
much  ground  for  the  amount  of  his  force,  he  began  to 
curtail  his  outworks.  The  relics  were  concealed  from 
profane  eyes;  his  people  were  admonished  not  to  speak  of 
miracles  before  a  race  that  not  only  denied  their  exist 
ence,  but  who  had  even  the  desperate  hardihood  to  chal 
lenge  their  proofs;  and  even  the  Bible  itself  was  prohib 
ited  with  terrible  denunciations,  for  the  triumphant  reason 
that  it  was  liable  to  be  misinterpreted. 

In  the  meantime  it  became  necessary  to  report  to  Don 
Aug^istin  tke  effects  his  arguments  and  prayers  had  pro- 


180  THE   PRAIRIE 

duced  on  the  heretical  disposition  of  the  young  soldier. 
No  man  is  prone  to  confess  his  weakness  at  the  very 
moment  when  circumstances  demand  the  utmost  efforts 
of  his  strength.  By  a  species  of  pious  fraud,  for  which 
no  doubt  the  worthy  priest  found  his  absolution  in  the 
purity  of  his  motives,  he  declared  that  while  no  positive 
change  was  actually  wrought  in  the  mind  of  Middleton, 
there  was  every  reason  to  hope  the  entering  wedge  of 
argument  had  been  driven  to  its  head,  and  that  in  conse 
quence  an  opening  was  left  through  which  it  might 
rationally  be  hoped  the  blessed  seeds  of  a  religious  fruc 
tification  would  find  their  way,  especially  if  the  subject 
was  left  uninterruptedly  to  enjoy  the  advantage  of  Cath 
olic  communion. 

Don  Augustin  himself  was  now  seized  with  the  desire 
of  proselyting.  Even  the  soft  and  amiable  Inez  thought 
it  would  be  a  glorious  consummation  of  her  wishes  to  be 
a  humble  instrument  of  bringing  her  lover  into  the  bosom 
of  the  true  Church.  The  offers  of  Middleton  were  promptly 
accepted;  and,  while  the  father  looked  forward  impa 
tiently  to  the  day  assigned  for  the  nuptials  as  to  the 
pledge  of  his  own  success,  the  daughter  thought  of  it 
with  feelings  in  which  the  holy  emotions  of  her  faith 
were  blended  with  the  softer  sensations  of  her  years  and 
situation. 

The  sun  rose,  the  morning  of  her  nuptials,  on  a  day  so 
bright  and  cloudless,  that  Inez  hailed  it  as  a  harbinger 
of  future  happiness.  Father  Ignatius  performed  the 
offices  of  the  church  in  a  little  chapel  attached  to  the 
estate  of  Don  Augustin;  and  long  ere  the  sun  had  begun 
to  fall,  Middleton  pressed  the  blushing  and  timid  young 
Creole  to  his  bosom,  his  acknowledged  and  unalienable 
wife.  It  had  pleased  the  parties  to  pass  the  day  of  the 
wedding  in  retirement,  dedicating  it  solely  to  the  best 
and  purest  affections,  aloof  from  the  noisy  and  heartless 
rejoicings  of  a  compelled  festivity. 

Middleton  was  returning  through  the  grounds  of  Don 
Augustin,  from  a  visit  of  duty  to  his  encampment,  at 
that  hour  in  which  the  light  of  the  sun  begins  to  melt 
into  the  shadows  of  evening,  when  a  glimpse  of  a  robe 
similar  to  that  in  which  Inez  had  accompanied  him  to  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  181 

altar,  caught  his  eye  through  the  foliage  of  a  retired 
arbor.  He  approached  the  spot  with  a  delicacy  that  was 
rather  increased  than  diminished  by  the  claim  she  had 
perhaps  given  him  to  intrude  on  her  private  moments; 
but  the  sounds  of  her  soft  voice,  which  was  offering  up 
prayers  in  which  he  heard  himself  named  oy  the  dearest 
of  all  appellations,  overcame  his  scruples,  and  induced 
him  to  take  a  position  where  he  might  listen  without  the 
fear  of  detection.  It  was  certainly  grateful  to  the  feel 
ings  of  a  husband  to  be  able  in  this  manner  to  lay  bare 
the  spotless  soul  of  his  wife,  and  to  find  that  his  own 
image  lay  enshrined  amid  its  purest  and  holiest  aspira 
tions.  His  self-esteem  was  too  much  flattered  not  to  in 
duce  him  to  overlook  the  immediate  object  of  the  peti 
tioner.  While  she  prayed  that  she  might  become  the 
humble  instrument  of  bringing  him  into  the  flock  of  the 
faithful,  she  petitioned  for  forgiveness  on  her  own  be 
half,  if  presumption  or  indifference  to  the  counsel  of  the 
church  had  caused  her  to  set  too  high  a  value  on  her  in 
fluence,  and  led  her  into  the  dangerous  error  of  hazarding 
her  own  soul  by  espousing  a  heretic.  There  was  so  much 
of  fervent  piety  mingled  with  so  strong  a  burst  of  natural 
feeling,  so  much  of  the  woman  blended  with  the  angel  in 
her  prayers,  that  Middleton  would  have  forgiven  her  had 
she  termed  him  a  pagan,  for  the  sweetness  and  interest 
with  which  she  petitioned  in  his  favor. 

The  young  man  waited  until  his  bride  arose  from  her 
knees,  and  then  he  joined  her,  as  if  entirely  ignorant  of 
what  had  occurred. 

"It  is  getting  late,  my  Inez,"  he  said,  "and  Don  Au- 
gustin  would  be  apt  to  reproach  you  with  inattention  to 
your  health,  in  being  abroad  at  such  an  hour.  What 
then  am  I  to  do,  who  am  charged  with  all  his  authority, 
and  twice  his  love?" 

"Be  like  him  in  everything,"  she  answered,  looking  up 
in  his  face,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  and  speaking  with  em 
phasis;  "in  everything.  Imitate  my  father,  Middleton, 
and  I  can  ask  no  more  of  you." 

"Nor  for  me,  Inez?     I  doubt  not  that  I  should  be  i 
you  can  wish,  were  I  to  become  as  good  as  the  worthy  and 
respectable  Don  Augustin.     But  you  are  to  make  son 


182  THE   PRAIRIE 

allowances  for  the  infirmities  and  habits  of  a  soldier. 
Now  let  us  go  and  join  this  excellent  father." 

"Not  yet,"  said  his  bride,  gently  extricating  herself 
from  the  arm  that  he  had  thrown  around  her  slight  form, 
while  he  urged  her  from  the  place.  "I  have  still  another 
duty  to  perform,  before  I  can  submit  so  implicitly  to 
your  orders,  soldier  though  you  are.  I  promised  the 
worthy  Inesella,  my  faithful  nurse,  she  who,  as  you  heard, 
has  so  long  been  a  mother  to  me,  Middleton — I  promised 
her  a  visit  at  this  hour.  It  is  the  last,  as  she  thinks,  that 
she  can  receive  from  her  own  child,  and  I  cannot  disap 
point  her.  Go  you  then  to  Don  Augustin;  in  one  short 
hour  I  will  rejoin  you." 

"Remember  it  is  but  an  hour!" 

"One  hour,"  replied  Inez,  as  she  kissed  her  hand  to 
him;  and  then  blushing,  ashamed  at  her  own  boldness, 
she  darted  from  the  arbor,  and  was  seen  for  an  instant 
gliding  towards  the  cottage  of  her  nurse,  in  which  at  the 
next  moment  she  disappeared. 

Middleton  returned  slowly  and  thoughtfully  to  the 
house,  often  bending  his  eyes  in  the  direction  in  which 
he  had  last  seen  his  wife,  as  if  he  would  fain  trace  her 
lovely  form,  in  the  gloom  of  the  evening,  still  floating 
through  the  vacant  space.  Don  Augustin  received  him 
with  warmth,  and  for  many  minutes  his  mind  was  amused 
by  relating  to  his  new  kinsman  plans  for  the  future.  The 
exclusive  old  Spaniard  listened  to  his  glowing  but.  true 
account  of  the  happiness  of  those  States  of  which  he  had 
been  an  ignorant  neighbor  half  his  life,  partly  in  wonder 
and  partly  with  that  sort  of  incredulity  with  which  one 
attends  to  what  he  fancies  are  the  exaggerated  descrip 
tions  of  a  too  partial  friendship. 

In  this  manner  the  hour  for  which  Inez  had  conditioned 
passed  away  much  sooner  than  her  husband  could  have 
thought  possible,  in  her  absence.  At  length  his  looks  be 
gan  to  wander  to  the  clock,  and  then  the  minutes  were 
counted  as  one  rolled  by  after  another,  and  Inez  did  not 
appear.  The  hand  had  already  made  half  of  another  cir 
cuit  around  the  face  of  the  dial,  when  Middleton  arose 
and  announced  his  determination  to  go  and  offer  himself 
as  an  escort  to  the  absentee.  He  found  the  night  dark, 


THE   PRAIRIE  183 

and  the  heavens  charged  with  threatening  vapor,  which 
in  that  climate  was  the  infallible  forerunner  of  a  gust. 
Stimulated  no  less  by  the  unpropitious  aspect  of  the  skies 
than  by  his  secret  uneasiness,  he  quickened  his  pace, 
making  long  and  rapid  strides  in  the  direction  of  the 
cottage  of  Inesella.  Twenty  times  he  stopped,  fancying 
that  he  caught  glimpses  of  the  fairy  form  of  Inez,  trip 
ping  across  the  grounds  on  her  return  to  the  mansion- 
house,  and  as  often  he  was  obliged  to  resume  his  course 
in  disappointment.  He  reached  the  gate  of  the  cottage, 
knocked,  opened  the  door,  entered,  and  even  stood  in  the 
presence  of  the  aged  nurse,  without  meeting  the  person 
of  her  he  sought.  She  had  already  left  the  place  on  her 
return  to  her  father's  house!  Believing  that  he  must 
have  passed  her  in  the  darkness,  Middleton  retraced  his 
steps  to  meet  with  another  disappointment.  Inez  had 
not  been  seen.  Without  communicating  his  intention  to 
any  one,  the  bridegroom  proceeded  with  a  palpitating 
heart  to  the  little  sequestered  arbor,  where  he  had  over 
heard  his  bride  offering  up  those  petitions  for  his  happi 
ness  and  conversion.  Here,  too,  he  was  disappointed; 
and  then  all  was  afloat  in  the  painful  incertitude  of  doubt 
and  conjecture. 

For  many  hours  a  secret  distrust  of  the  motives  of  his 
wife  caused  Middleton  to  proceed  in  the  search  with  deli 
cacy  and  caution.  But  as  day  dawned,  without  restoring 
her  to  the  arms  of  her  father  or  her  husband,  reserve  was 
thrown  aside,  and  her  unaccountable  absence  was  loudly 
proclaimed.  The  inquiries  after  the  lost  Inez  were  now 
direct  and  open;  but  they  proved  equally  fruitless.  No 
one  had  seen  her  or  heard  of  her,  from  the  moment  that 
she  left  the  cottage  of  her  nurse. 

Day  succeeded  day,  and  still  no  tidings  rewarded  the 
search  that  was  immediately  instituted,  until  she  was 
finally  given  over  by  most  of  her  relations  and  friends, 
as  irretrievably  lost. 

An  event  of  so  extraordinary  a  character  was  not  likely 
to  be  soon  forgotten.  It  excited  speculation,  gave  rise  to 
an  infinity  of  rumors,  and  not  a  few  inventions.  The 
prevalent  opinion,  among  such  of  those  emigrants  who 
were  overrunning  the  country,  as  had  time  in  the  multi- 


184  THE   PRAIRIE 

tude  of  their  employments  to  think  of  any  foreign  con 
cerns,  was  the  simple  and  direct  conclusion  that  the  ab 
sent  bride  was  no  more  nor  less  than  a  felo  de  se.  Father 
Ignatius  had  many  doubts  and  much  secret  compunction 
of  conscience;  but,  like  a  wise  chief,  he  endeavored  to 
turn  the  sad  event  to  some  account  in  the  impending  war 
fare  of  faith.  Changing  his  battery,  he  whispered  in  the 
ears  of  a  few  of  his  oldest  parishioners  that  he  had  been 
deceived  in  the  state  of  Middleton's  mind,  which  he  was 
now  compelled  to  believe  was  completely  stranded  on  the 
quicksands  of  heresy.  He  began  to  show  his  relics  again, 
and  was  even  heard  to  allude  once  more  to  the  delicate 
and  nearly  forgotten  subject  of  modern  miracles.  In  con 
sequence  of  these  demonstrations  on  the  part  of  the  vener 
able  priest,  it  came  to  be  whispered  among  the  faithful, 
and  finally  it  was  adopted  as  part  of  the  parish  creed, 
that  Inez  had  been  translated  to  heaven. 

Don  Augustin  had  all  the  feelings  of  a  father,  but  they 
were  smothered  in  the  lassitude  of  a  Creole.  Like  his 
spiritual  governor,  he  began  to  think  that  they  had  been 
wrong  in  consigning  one  so  pure,  so  young,  so  lovely,  and 
above  all  so  pious,  to  the  arms  of  a  heretic;  and  he  was 
fain  to  believe  that  the  calamity  which  had  befallen  his 
age  was  a  judgment  on  his  presumption  and  want  of  ad 
herence  to  established  forms.  It  is  true,  that  as  the 
whispers  of  the  congregation  came  to  his  ears  he  found 
present  consolation  in  their  belief;  but  then  nature  was 
too  powerful,  and  had  too  strong  a  hold  of  the  old  man's 
heart,  not  to  give  rise  to  the  rebellious  thought  that  the 
succession  of  his  daughter  to  the  heavenly  inheritance 
was  a  little  premature. 

But  Middleton,  the  lover,  the  husband,  the  bridegroom 
— Middleton  was  nearly  crushed  by  the  weight  of  the  un 
expected  and  terrible  blow.  Educated  himself  under  the 
dominion  of  a  simple  and  rational  faith  in  which  nothing 
is  attempted  to  be  concealed  from  the  believers,  he  could 
have  no  other  apprehensions  for  the  fate  of  Inez  than 
such  as  grew  out  of  his  knowledge  of  the  superstitious 
opinions  she  entertained  of  his  own  church.  It  is  need 
less  to  dwell  on  the  mental  tortures  that  he  endured,  or 
all  the  various  surmises,  hopes,  and  disappointments,  that 
he  was  fated  to  experience  in  the  first  few  weeks  of  his 


THE   PRAIRIE  185 

misery.  A  jealous  distrust  of  the  motives  of  Inez,  and  a 
secret,  lingering  hope  that  he  should  yet  find  her,  had 
tempered  his  inquiries,  without,  however,  causing  him 
to  abandon  them  entirely.  But  time  was  beginning  to 
deprive  him  even  of  the  mortifying  reflection  that  he  was 
intentionally,  though  perhaps  temporarily  deserted,  and 
he  was  gradually  yielding  to  the  more  painful  conviction 
that  she  was  dead,  when  his  hopes  were  suddenly  revived 
in  a  new  and  singular  manner. 

The  young  commander  was  slowly  and  sorrowfully  re 
turning  from  an  evening  parade  of  his  troops  to  his  own 
quarters,  which  stood  at  some  little  distance  from  the 
place  of  the  encampment,  and  on  the  same  high  bluff  of 
land,  when  his  vacant  eyes  fell  on  the  figure  of  a  man, 
who  by  the  regulations  of  the  place  was  not  entitled  to  be 
there  at  that  forbidden  hour.  The  stranger  was  meanly 
dressed,  with  every  appearance  about  his  person  and  coun 
tenance  of  squalid  poverty  and  of  the  most  dissolute 
habits.  Sorrow  had  softened  the  military  pride  of  Mid- 
dleton,  and,  as  he  passed  the  crouching  form  of  the  in 
truder,  he  said,  in  tones  of  great  mildness,  or  rather  of 
kindness : 

"You  will  be  given  a  night  in  the  guard-house,  friend, 
should  the  patrol  find  you  here.  There  is  a  dollar;  go 
and  get  a  better  place  to  sleep  in,  and  something  to  eat!' 

"I  swallow  all  my  food,  captain,  without  chewing," 
returned  the  vagabond,  with  the  low  exultation  of  an  ac 
complished  villain,  as  he  eagerly  seized  the  silver.  J'Make 
this  Mexican  twenty,  and  I  will  sell  you  a  secret." 

"Go,  go,"  said  the  other,  with  a  little  of  a  soldier's 
severity  returning  to  his  manner.  "Go,  before  I  order 
the  guard  to  seize  you." 

"Well,  go  I  will;  but  if  I  do  go,  captain,  I  shall  take 
my  knowledge  with  me;  and  then  you  may  live  a  widower 
bewitched  till  the  tattoo  of  life  is  beat  off." 

"What  mean  you,  fellow?"  exclaimed  Middleton,  turn 
ing  quickly  towards  the  wretch,  who  was  already  drag 
ging  his  diseased  limbs  from  the  place. 

"I  mean  to  have  the  value  of  this  dollar  in  Spanish 
brandy,  and  then  come  back  and  sell  you  my  seci 
enough  to  buy  a  barrel." 

"If  you  have  anything  to  say,  speak  now,     continue 


186  THE   PRAIRIE 

Middleton,  restraining  with  difficulty  the  impatience 
that  urged  him  to  betray  his  feelings. 

"I  am  a-dry,  and  I  can  never  talk  with  elegance  when 
my  throat  is  husky,  captain.  How  much  will  you  give  to 
know  what  I  can  tell  you?  Let  it  be  something  hand 
some  ;  such  as  one  gentleman  can  offer  to  another. ' ' 

"I  believe  it  would  be  better  justice  to  order  the  drum 
mer  to  pay  you  a  visit,  fellow.  To  what  does  your  boasted 
secret  relate?" 

"Matrimony;  a  wife  and  no  wife;  a  pretty  face  and  a 
rich  bride;  do  I  speak  plain  now,  captain?" 

"If  you  know  anything  relating  to  my  wife,  say  it  at 
once ;  you  need  not  fear  for  your  reward. ' ' 

"Ay,  captain,  I  have  drove  many  a  bargain  in  my  time, 
and  sometimes  I  have  been  paid  in  money,  and  sometimes 
I  have  been  paid  in  promises;  now  the  last  are  what  I  call 
pinching  food." 

"Name  your  price." 

"Twenty — no,  damn  it,  it's  worth  thirty  dollars,  if  it's 
worth  a  cent!" 

"Here,  then,  is  your  money;  but  remember,  if  you  tell 
me  nothing  worth  knowing,  I  have  a  force  that  can  easily 
deprive  you  of  it  again,  and  punish  your  insolence  into 
the  bargain. ' ' 

The  fellow  examined  the  bank-bills  he  received,  with  a 
jealous  eye,  and  then  pocketed  them,  apparently  well  sat 
isfied  of  their  being  genuine. 

"I  like  a  Northern  note,"  he  said  very  coolly;  "they 
have  a  character  to  lose  like  myself.  No  fear  of  me, 
captain;  I  am  a  man  of  honor,  and  I  shall  not  tell  you  a 
word  more  nor  a  word  less  than  I  know  of  my  own 
knowledge  to  be  true. ' ' 

"Proceed  then  without  further  delay,  or  I  may  repent, 
and  order  you  to  be  deprived  of  all  your  gains;  the  silver 
as  well  as  the  notes. ' ' 

"Honor,  if  you  die  for  it?"  returned  the  miscreant, 
holding  up  a  hand  in  affected  horror  at  so  treacherous  a 
threat.  "Well,  captain,  you  must  know  that  gentlemen 
don't  all  live  by  the  same  calling;  some  keep  what  they've 
got,  and  some  get  what  they  can. ' ' 

"You  have  been  a  thief." 


THE   PRAIRIE  187 

"I  scorn  the  word.  I  have  been  a  humanity  hunter 
Do  you  knew  what  that  means?  Ay,  it  has  many  inter 
pretations.  Some  people  think  the  woolly-heads  are  mis 
erable,  working  on  hot  plantations  under  a  broiling  sun— 
and  all  such  sorts  of  inconveniences.  Well,  captain,  I 
have  been,  in  my  time,  a  man  who  has  been  willing  to 
give  them  the  pleasures  of  variety,  at  least,  by  changing 
the  scene  for  them.  You  understand  me?" 

"You  are,  in  plain  language,  a  kidnapper." 

"Have  been,  my  worthy  captain — have  been;  but  just 
now  a  little  reduced,  like  a  merchant  who  leaves  off  sell 
ing  tobacco  by  the  hogshead,  to  deal  in  it  by  the  yard.  I 
have  been  a  soldier,  too,  in  my  day.  What  is  said  to  be 
the  great  secret  of  our  trade,  can  you  tell  me  that?" 

"I  know  not,"  said  Middleton,  beginning  to  tire  of  the 
fellow's  trifling;  "courage?" 

"No,  legs — legs  to  fight  with,  and  legs  to  run  away 
with — and  therein  you  see  my  two  callings  agreed.  My 
legs  are  none  of  the  best  just  now,  and  without  legs  a 
kidnapper  would  carry  on  a  losing  trade;  but  then  there 
are  men  enough  left,  better  provided  than  I  am." 

"Stolen!"  groaned  the  horror-struck  husband. 

"On  her  travels,  as  sure  as  you  are  standing  still!" 

"Villain,  what  reason  have  you  for  believing  a  thing 
so  shocking?" 

"Hands  off — hands  off — do  you  think  my  tongue  can  do 
its  work  the  better,  for  a  little  squeezing  of  the  throat! 
Have  patience,  and  you  shall  know  it  all;  but  if  you  treat 
me  so  ungenteelly  again,  I  shall  be  obliged  to  call  in  the 
assistance  of  the  lawyers." 

"Say  on;  but  if  you  utter  a  single  word  more  or  less 
than  the  truth,  expect  instant  vengeance!" 

"Are  you  fool  enough  to  believe  what  such  a  scoundrel 
as  I  am  tells  you,  captain,  unless  it  has  a  probability  to 
back  it?  I  know  you  are  not;  therefore  I  will  give  my 
facts  and  my  opinions,  and  then  leave  you  to  chew  on 
them,  while  I  go  and  drink  of  your  generosity.  I  know 
a  man  who  is  called  Abiram  White.  I  believe  the  knave 
took  that  name  to  show  his  enmity  to  the  race  of  black* 
But  this  gentleman  is  now,  and  has  been  for  years,  to  my 
certain  knowledge,  a  regular  translator  of  the  human 


188  THE   PRAIRIE 

body  from  one  State  to  another.  I  have  dealt  with  him 
in  my  time,  and  a  cheating  dog  he  is!  No  more  honor  in 
him  than  meat  in  my  stomach.  I  saw  him  here  in  this 
very  town,  the  day  of  your  wedding.  He  was  in  company 
with  his  wife's  brother,  and  pretended  to  be  a  settler  on 
the  hunt  for  new  land.  A  noble  set  they  were,  to  carry 
on  business — seven  sons,  each  of  them  as  tall  as  your  ser 
geant  with  his  cap  on.  Well,  the  moment  I  heard  that 
your  wife  was  lost,  I  saw  at  once  that  Abiram  had  laid 
his  hands  on  her." 

"Do  you  know  this — can  this  be  true?  What  reason 
have  you  to  fancy  a  thing  so  wild?" 

"Reason  enough;  I  know  Abiram  White.  Now,  will 
you  add  a  trifle  just  to  keep  my  throat  from  parching?" 

"Go,  go;  you  are  stupefied  with  drink  already,  miser 
able  man,  and  know  not  what  you  say.  Go,  go;  and  be 
ware  the  drummer." 

"Experience  is  a  good  guide,"  the  fellow  called  after 
the  retiring  Middleton;  and  then  turning,  with  a  chuck 
ling  laugh,  like  one  well  satisfied  with  himself,  he  made 
the  best  of  his  way  towards  the  shop  of  the  sutler. 

A  hundred  times  in  the  course  of  that  night  did  Mid 
dleton  fancy  that  the  communication  of  the  miscreant 
was  entitled  to  some  attention,  and  as  often  did  he  reject 
the  idea  as  too  wild  and  visionary  for  another  thought. 
He  was  awakened  early  on  the  following  morning,  after 
passing  a  restless  and  nearly  sleepless  night,  by  his  or 
derly,  who  came  to  report  that  a  man  was  found  dead  on 
the  parade,  at  no  great  distance  from  his  quarters. 
Throwing  on  his  clothes  he  proceeded  to  the  spot,  and 
beheld  the  individual  with  whom  he  had  held  the  preced 
ing  conference,  in  the  precise  situation  in  which  he  had 
first  been  found. 

The  miserable  wretch  had  fallen  a  victim  to  his  intem 
perance.  This  revolting  fact  was  sufficiently  proclaimed 
by  his  obtruding  eye-balls,  his  bloated  countenance,  and 
the  nearly  insufferable  odors  that  were  even  then  exhaling 
from  his  carcass.  Disgusted  with  the  odious  spectacle, 
the  youth  was  turning  from  the  sight,  after  ordering  the 
corpse  to  be  removed,  when  the  position  of  one  of  the 
dead  man's  hands  struck  him.  On  examination,  he  found 


THE   PRAIRIE  189 

the  fore-finger  extended,  as  if  in  the  act  of  writing  in 
the  sand,  with  the  following  incomplete  sentence,  nearly 
illegible,  but  yet  in  a  state  to  be  deciphered:  "Captain 
it  is  true,  as  I  am  a  gentle—  He  had  either  died,  or 
fallen  into  a  sleep,  the  forerunner  of  his  death,  before 
the  latter  word  was  finished. 

Concealing  this  fact  from  the  others,  Middleton  repeated 
his  orders  and  departed.  The  pertinacity  of  the  deceased, 
and  all  the  circumstances  united,  induced  him  to  set  on 
foot  some  secret  inquiries.  He  found  that  a  family  an 
swering  the  description  which  had  been  given  him,  had  in 
fact  passed  the  place  the  day  of  his  nuptials.  They  were 
traced  along  the  margin  of  the  Mississippi  for  some  dis 
tance,  until  they  took  boat  and  ascended  the  river  to  its 
confluence  with  the  Missouri.  Here  they  had  disap 
peared,  like  hundreds  of  others,  in  pursuit  of  the  hidden 
wealth  of  the  interior. 

Furnished  with  these  facts,  Middleton  detailed  a  small 
guard  of  his  most  trusty  men,  took  leave  of  Don  Augus- 
tin  without  declaring  his  hopes  or  his  fears,  and  having 
arrived  at  the  indicated  point  he  pushed  into  the  wilder 
ness  in  pursuit.  It  was  not  difficult  to  trace  a  train  like 
that  of  Ishmael  until  he  was  assured  its  object  lay  far  be 
yond  the  usual  limits  of  the  settlements.  This  circum 
stance  in  itself  quickened  his  suspicions  and  gave  addi 
tional  force  to  his  hopes  of  final  success. 

After  getting  beyond  the  assistance  of  verbal  directions, 
the  anxious  husband  had  recourse  to  the  usual  signs  of  a 
trail,  in  order  to  follow  the  fugitives.  This  he  also  found 
a  task  of  no  difficulty  until  he  reached  the  hard  and  un 
yielding  soil  of  the  rolling  prairies.  Here,  indeed,  he 
was  completely  at  fault.  He  found  himself,  at  length, 
compelled  to  divide  his  followers,  appointing  a  place  of 
rendezvous  at  a  distant  day,  and  to  endeavor  to  find  the 
lost  trail  by  multiplying,  as  much  as  possible,  the  num 
ber  of  his  eyes.  He  had  been  alone  a  week,  when  accident 
brought  him  in  contact  with  the  trapper  and  the  bee- 
hunter.  Part  of  their  interview  has  been  related,  and 
the  reader  can  readily  imagine  the  explanations  that  suc 
ceeded  the  tale  he  recounted,  and  which  led,  as  has  already 
been  seen,  to  the  recovery  of  his  bride. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

"These  likelihoods  confirm  her  flight  from  hence; 
Therefore,  I  pray  you,  stay  not  to  discourse, 
But  mount  you  presently." 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

AN  hour  has  slid  by  in  hasty  and  nearly  incoherent 
questions  and  answers,  before  Middleton,  hanging  over 
his  recovered  treasure  with  that  sort  of  jealous  watchful 
ness  with  which  a  miser  would  regard  his  hoards,  closed 
the  disjointed  narrative  of  his  own  proceedings  by  de 
manding: 

"And  you,  my  Inez;  in  what  manner  were  you  treated?" 

"In  everything  but  the  great  injustice  they  did  in  sep 
arating  me  so  forcibly  from  my  friends,  as  well,  perhaps, 
as  the  circumstances  of  my  captors  would  allow.  I  think 
the  man  who  is  certainly  the  master  here  is  but  a  new 
beginner  in  wickedness.  He  quarreled  frightfully  in  my 
presence  with  the  wretch  who  seized  me,  and  then  they 
made  an  impious  bargain,  to  which  I  was  compelled  to 
acquiesce,  and  to  which  they  bound  me  as  well  as  them 
selves,  by  oaths.  Ah!  Middleton,  I  fear  the  heretics  are 
not  so  heedful  of  their  vows  as  we  who  are  nurtured  in 
the  bosom  of  the  true  Church ! ' ' 

"Believe  it  not;  these  villains  are  of  no  religion?  Did 
they  forswear  themselves?" 

"No,  not  perjured;  but  was  it  not  awful  to  call  upon 
the  good  God  to  witness  so  sinful  a  compact?" 

"And  so  we  think,  Inez,  as  truly  as  the  most  virtuous 
cardinal  of  Rome.  But  how  did  they  observe  their  oath, 
and  what  was  its  purport?" 

"They  conditioned  to  leave  me  unmolested,  and  free 
from  their  odious  presence,  provided  I  would  give  a  pledge 
to  make  no  effort  to  escape;  and  that  I  would  not  even 
show  myself  until  a  time  that  my  masters  saw  fit  to 
name. ' ' 

190 


THE  PRAIRIE  191 

"And  that  time?"  demanded  the  impatient  Middleton, 
who  so  well  knew  the  religious  scruples  of  his  wife — 
"that  time?" 

"It  is  already  past.  I  was  sworn  by  my  patron  saint, 
and  faithfully  did  I  keep  the  vow,  until  the  man  they  call 
Ishmael  forgot  the  terms  by  offering  violence.  I  then 
made  my  appearance  on  the  rock,  for  the  time  too  was 
past;  though  I  even  think  Father  Ignatius  would  have  ab 
solved  me  from  the  vow,  on  account  of  the  treachery  of 
my  keepers." 

"If  he  had  not,"  muttered  the  youth  between  his  com 
pressed  teeth,  "I  would  have  absolved  him  forever  from 
his  spiritual  care  of  your  conscience!" 

"You,  Middleton!"  returned  his  wife,  looking  up  into 
his  flushed  face,  while  a  bright  flush  suffused  her  own 
sweet  countenance;  "you  may  receive  my  vows,  but  surely 
you  can  have  no  power  to  absolve  me  from  their  observ 
ance  ! ' ' 

"No,  no,  no.  Inez,  you  are  right.  I  know  but  little 
of  these  conscientious  subtilties,  and  I  am  anything  but 
a  priest;  yet  tell  me,  what  has  induced  these  monsters  to 
play  this  desperate  game — to  trifle  thus  with  my  happi 
ness?" 

"You  know  my  ignorance  of  the  world,  and  how  ill  I 
am  qualified  to  furnish  reasons  for  the  conduct  of  beings 
so  different  from  any  I  have  ever  seen  before.  But  does 
not  love  of  money  drive  men  to  acts  even  worse  than  this? 
I  believe  they  thought  that  an  aged  and  wealthy  father 
could  be  tempted  to  pay  them  a  rich  ransom  for  his  child; 
and,  perhaps,"  she  added,  stealing  an  inquiring  glance 
through  her  tears  at  the  attentive  Middleton,  "they 
counted  something  on  the  fresh  affections  of  a  bride 
groom." 

"They  might  have  extracted  the  blood  from  my  heart 

drop  by  drop!" 

"Yes,"  resumed  his  young  and  timid  wife,  instantly 
withdrawing  the  stolen  look  she  had  hazarded,  and  hur 
riedly  pursuing  the  train  of  the  discourse,  as  if  glad 
make  him  forget  the  liberty  she  had  just  taken, 
been  told  there  are  men  so  base  as  to  perjure  themselves 
?t  the  altar  in  order  to  command  the  gold  of  ignorant  and 


192  THE   PRAIRIE 

confiding  girls;  and  if  love  of  money  will  lead  to  such 
baseness,  we  may  surely  expect  it  will  hurry  those  who 
devote  themselves  to  gain  into  acts  of  lesser  fraud." 

"It  must  be  so;  and  now,  Inez,  though  I  am  here  to 
guard  you  with  my  life,  and  we  are  in  possession  of  this 
rock,  our  difficulties,  perhaps  our  dangers,  are  not  ended. 
You  will  summon  all  your  courage  to  meet  the  trial,  and 
prove  yourself  a  soldier's  wife,  my  Inez?" 

"I  am  ready  to  depart  this  instant.  The  letter  you 
sent  by  the  physician  had  prepared  me  to  hope  for  the 
best,  and  I  have  everything  arranged  for  flight  at  the 
shortest  warning. ' ' 

"Let  us  then  leave  this  place  and  join  our  friends." 

"Friends!"  interrupted  Inez,  glancing  her  eyes  around 
the  little  tent  in  quest  of  the  form  of  Ellen.  "I,  too, 
have  a  friend  who  must  not  be  forgotten,  but  who  is 
pledged  to  pass  the  remainder  of  her  life  with  us.  She 
is  gone!" 

Middleton  gently  led  her  from  the  spot,  as  he  smilingly 
answered : 

"She  may  have  had,  like  myself,  her  own  private  com 
munications  for  some  favored  ear." 

The  young  man  had  not,  however,  done  justice  to  the 
motives  of  Ellen  Wade.  The  sensitive  and  intelligent 
girl  had  readily  perceived  how  little  her  presence  was 
necessary  in  the  interview  that  has  just  been  related,  and 
had  retired  with  that  intuitive  delicacy  of  feeling  which 
seems  to  belong  more  properly  to  her  sex.  She  was  now 
to  be  seen  seated  on  a  point  of  the  rock,  with  her  person 
so  entirely  enveloped  in  her  dress  as  to  conceal  her  fea 
tures.  Here  she  had  remained  for  near  an  hour,  no  one 
approaching  to  address  her,  and  as  it  appeared  to  her  own 
quick  and  jealous  eyes,  totally  unobserved.  In  the  latter 
particular,  however,  even  the  vigilance  of  the  quick- 
sighted  Ellen  was  deceived. 

The  first  act  of  Paul  Hover,  on  finding  himself  the  mas 
ter  of  Ishmael's  citadel,  had  been  to  sound  the  note  of 
victory,  after  the  quaint  and  ludicrous  manner  that  is  so 
often  practised  among  the  borderers  of  the  west.  Flap 
ping  his  sides  with  his  hands,  as  the  conquering  game 
cock  is  wont  to  do  with  his  wings,  he  raised  a  loud  and 


THE   PRAIRIE  193 

laughable  imitation  of  the  exultation  of  this  bird;  a  cry 
which  might  have  proved  a  dangerous  challenge,  had  any 
one  of  the  athletic  sons  of  the  squatter  been  within 
hearing. 

"This  has  been  a  regular  knock-down  and  drag-out," 
he  cried,  "and  no  bones  broke!  How  now,  old  trapper, 
you  have  been  one  of  your  training,  platoon,  rank  and 
file  soldiers  in  your  day,  and  have  seen  forts  taken  and 
batteries  stormed  before  this — am  I  right?" 

"Ay,  ay,  that  have  I,"  answered  the  old  man,  who  still 
maintained  his  post  at  the  foot  of  the  rock,  so  little  dis 
turbed  by  what  he  had  just  witnessed  as  to  return  the 
grin  of  Paul  with  a  hearty  indulgence  in  his  own  silent 
and  peculiar  laughter;  "you  have  gone  through  the  ex 
ploit  like  men!" 

''Now  tell  me,  is  it  not  in  rule  to  call  over  the  names 
of  the  living,  and  to  bury  the  dead  after  every  bloody 
battle?" 

"Some  did  and  some  others  didn't.  When  Sir  William 
pushed  the  German,  Dieskau,  through  the  defiles  at  the 
foot  of  the  Hori— 

"Your  Sir  William  was  a  drone  to  Sir  Paul,  and  knew 
nothing  of  regularity.  So  here  begins  the  roll-call — by 
the  bye,  old  man,  what  between  bee-hunting  and  buffalo 
humps,  and  certain  other  matters,  I  have  been  too  busy 
to  ask  your  name;  for  I  intend  to  begin  with  my  rear 
guard,  well  knowing  that  my  man  in  front  is  too  busy  to 
answer. ' ' 

"Lord,  lad,  I've  been  called  in  my  time  by  as  many 
names  as  there  are  people  among  whom  I've  dwelt.  Now 
the  Delawares  named  me  for  my  eyes,  and  I  was  called 
after  the  far-sighted  hawk.  Then  ag'in,  the  settlers  in 
the  Otsego  hills  christened  me  anew  from  the  fashion  of 
my  leggings-  and  various  have  been  the  names  by  which 
I  have  gone  through  life;  but  little  will  it  matter  when 
the  time  shall  come  that  all  are  to  be  mustered,  face  to 
face,  by  what  titles  a  mortal  has  played  his  part! 
bly  trust  I  shall  be  able  to  answer  to  any  of  mine 
loud  and  manly  voice." 

Paul  paid  little  or  no  attention  to  this  reply,  more  than 
half  of  which  was  lost  in  the  distance,  but  pursuing  t 
13 


194  THE   PRAIRIE 

humor  of  the  moment,  he  called  out  in  a  stentorian  voice 
to  the  naturalist  to  answer  to  his  name.  Dr.  Battius  had 
not  thought  it  necessary  to  push  his  success  beyond  the 
comfortable  niche  which  accident  had  so  opportunely 
formed  for  his  protection,  and  in  which  he  now  reposed 
from  his  labors  with  a  pleasing  consciousness  of  security, 
added  to  great  exultation  at  the  possession  of  the  botan 
ical  treasure  already  mentioned. 

"Mount,  mount,  my  worthy  mole-catcher!  come  and 
behold  the  prospect  of  skirting  Ishmael;  come  and  look 
nature  boldly  in  the  face,  and  not  go  sneaking  any  longer 
among  the  prairie  grass  and  mullein  tops,  like  a  gobbler 
nibbling  for  grasshoppers." 

The  mouth  of  the  light-hearted  and  reckless  bee-hunter 
was  instantly  closed,  and  he  was  rendered  as  mute  as  he 
had  just  been  boisterous  and  talkative,  by  the  appearance 
of  Ellen  Wade.  When  the  melancholy  maiden  took  her 
seat  on  the  point  of  the  rock  as  mentioned,  Paul  affected 
to  employ  himself  in  conducting  a  close  inspection  of  the 
household  effects  of  the  squatter.  He  rummaged  the 
drawers  of  Esther  with  no  delicate  hands,  scattered  the 
rustic  finery  of  her  girls  on  the  ground  without  the  least 
deference  to  its  quality  or  elegance,  and  tossed  her  pots 
and  kettles  here  and  there  as  though  they  had  been  vessels 
of  wood  instead  of  iron.  All  this  industry  was,  however, 
manifestly  without  an  object.  He  reserved  nothing  for 
himself,  not  even  appearing  conscious  of  the  nature  of  the 
articles  which  suffered  by  his  familiarity.  When  he  had 
examined  the  inside  of  every  cabin,  taken  a  fresh  survey 
of  the  spot  where  he  had  confined  the  children,  and  where 
he  had  thoroughly  secured  them  with  cords,  and  kicked 
one  of  the  pails  of  the  woman  like  a  foot-ball  fifty  feet 
into  the  air  in  sheer  wantonness,  he  returned  to  the  edge 
of  the  rock,  and  thrusting  both  his  hands  through  his 
wampum  belt,  he  began  to  whistle  the  "Kentucky  Hunt 
ers"  as  diligently  as  if  he  had  been  hired  to  supply  his 
auditors  with  music  by  the  hour.  In  this  manner  passed 
the  remainder  of  the  time  until  Middleton,  as  has  been 
related,  led  Inez  forth  from  the  tent,  and  gave  a  new  di 
rection  to  the  thoughts  of  the  whole  party.  He  summoned 
Paul  from  his  flourish  of  music,  tore  the  Doctor  from  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  195 

study  of  his  plant,  and,  as  acknowledged  leader,  gave  the 
necessary  orders  for  immediate  departure. 

In  the  bustle  and  confusion  that  were  likely  to  succeed 
such  a  mandate,  there  was  little  opportunity  to  indulge 
in  complaints  or  reflections.  As  the  adventurers  had  not 
come  unprepared  for  victory,  each  individual  employed 
himself  in  such  offices  as  were  best  adapted  to  his  strength 
and  situation.  The  trapper  had  already  made  himself  mas 
ter  of  the  patient  Asinus,  who  was  quietly  feeding  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  rock,  and  he  was  now  busy  in 
fitting  his  back  with  the  complicated  machinery  that  Dr. 
Battius  saw  fit  to  term  a  saddle  of  his  own  invention. 
The  naturalist  himself  seized  upon  his  portfolios,  herbals, 
and  collection  of  insects,  which  he  quickly  transferred 
from  the  encampment  of  the  squatter  to  certain  pockets 
in  the  aforesaid  ingenious  invention,  and  which  the  trap 
per  as  uniformly  cast  away  the  moment  his  back  was 
turned.  Paul  showed  his  dexterity  in  removing  such 
light  articles  as  Inez  and  Ellen  had  prepared  for  their 
flight  to  the  foot  of  the  citadel;  while  Middleton,  after 
mingling  threats  and  promises  in  order  to  induce  the 
children  to  remain  quietly  in  their  bondage,  assisted  the 
females  to  descend.  As  time  began  to  press  upon  them, 
and  there  was  great  danger  of  Ishmael's  returning,  these 
several  movements  were  made  with  singular  industry  and 
despatch. 

The  trapper  bestowed  such  articles  as  he  conceived  were 
necessary  to  the  comfort  of  the  weaker  and  more  delicate 
members  of  the  party,  in  those  pockets  from  which  he  had 
so  unceremoniously  expelled  the  treasures  of  the  uncon 
scious  naturalist,  and  then  gave  way  for  Middleton  to 
place  Inez  in  one  of  those  seats  which  he  had  prepared  on 
the  back  of  the  animal  for  her  and  her  companion. 

"Go,  child,"  the  old  man  said,  motioning  to  Ellen  to 
follow  the  example  of  the  lady,  and  turning  his  head^  a 
little  anxiously  to  examine  the  waste  behind  him. 
cannot  be  long  afore  the  owner  of  this  place  will  be  com 
ing  to  look  after  his  household;  and  he  is  not  a  man  to 
give  up  his  property,  however  obtained,  without  com 
plaint!" 

"It  is  true,"  cried  Middleton;  "we  have  wasted  mo- 


196  THE   PRAIRIE 

ments  that  are  precious,  and  have  the  utmost  need  of 
industry." 

"Ay,  ay,  I  thought  it;  and  would  have  said  it,  captain; 
but  I  remembered  how  your  grand'ther  used  to  love  to 
look  upon  the  face  of  her  he  had  led  away  for  a  wife,  in 
the  days  of  his  youth  and  his  happiness.  "Pis  natur',  'tis 
natur',  and  'tis  wiser  to  give  way  a  little  before  its  feel 
ings,  than  to  try  to  stop  a  current  that  will  have  its 
course. ' ' 

Ellen  advanced  to  the  side  of  the  beast,  and  seizing 
Inez  by  the  hand,  she  said,  with  heartfelt  warmth,  after 
struggling  to  suppress  an  emotion  ^hat  nearly  choked  her: 

"God  bless  you,  sweet  lady!  I  hope  you  will  forget 
and  forgive  the  wrongs  you  have  received  from  my 
uncle — 

The  humbled  and  sorrowful  girl  could  say  no  more,  her 
voice  becoming  entirely  inaudible  in  an  ungovernable 
burst  of  grief. 

"How  is  this?"  cried  Middleton;  "did  you  not  say, 
Inez,  that  this  excellent  young  woman  was  to  accompany 
us,  and  to  live  with  us  the  remainder  of  her  life;  or  at 
least,  until  she  found  some  more  agreeable  residence  for 
herself?" 

"I  did;  and  I  still  hope  it.  She  has  always  given  me 
reason  to  believe,  that  after  having  shown  so  much  com 
miseration  and  friendship  in  my  misery,  she  would  not 
desert  me,  should  happier  times  return." 

"I  cannot — I  ought  not,"  continued  Ellen,  getting  the 
better  of  her  momentary  weakness.  "It  has  pleased  God 
to  cast  my  lot  among  these  people,  and  I  ought  not  to 
quit  them.  It  would  be  adding  the  appearance  of  treach 
ery  to  what  will  already  seem  bad  enough,  with  one  of 
his  opinions.  He  has  been  kind  to  me,  an  orphan,  after 
his  rough  customs,  and  I  cannot  steal  from  him  at  such  a 
moment. ' ' 

"She  is  just  as  much  a  relation  of  skirting  Ishmael  as 
I  am  a  bishop!"  said  Paul,  with  a  loud  hem,  as  if  his 
throat  wanted  clearing.  "If  the  old  fellow  has  done  the 
honest  thing  by  her,  in  giving  her  a  morsel  of  venison 
now  and  then,  or  a  spoon  around  his  hominy  dish,  hasn't 
she  paid  him  in  teaching  the  young  devils  to  read  their 


THE   PRAIRIE  197 

Bible,  or  in  helping  old  Esther  to  put  her  finery  in  shape 
and  fashion?  Tell  me  that  a  drone  has  a  sting,  and  I'll 
believe  you  as  easily  as  I  will  that  this  young  woman  is  a 
debtor  to  any  of  the  tribe  of  Bush ! ' ' 

"It  is  but  little  matter  who  owes  me,  or  where  I  am  in 
debt.  There  are  none  to  care  for  a  girl  who  is  fatherless 
and  motherless,  and  whose  nearest  kin  are  the  offcasts  of 
all  honest  people.  No,  no;  go,  lady,  and  Heaven  forever 
bless  you!  I  am  better  here,  in  this  desert,  where  there 
are  none  to  know  my  shame. ' ' 

"Now,  old  trapper,"  retorted  Paul,  "this  is  what  I 
call  knowing  which  way  the  wind  blows!  You  ar'  a  man 
that  has  seen  life,  and  you  know  something  of  fashions; 
I  put  it  to  your  judgment  plainly,  isn't  it  in  the  nature 
of  things  for  the  hive  to  swarm  when  the  young  get  their 
growth,  and  if  children  will  quit  their  parents,  ought  one 
who  is  of  no  kith  or  kin — 

"Hist!"  interrupted  the  man  he  addressed,  " 
discontented.     Say  it  out  plainly,  pup;  what  is  it,  dog— 
what  is  it?" 

The  venerable  hound  had  risen,  and  was  scentu 
fresh  breeze  which  continued  to  sweep  heavily  over  the 
prairie      At  the  words  of  his  master  he  growled  and  con 
tracted  the  muscles  of  his  lips,  as  if  half  disposed 
threaten  with  the  remnants  of  his  teeth.     The  younger 
doo-  who  was  resting  after  the  chase  of  the  morning,  a! 
made  some  signs  that  his  nose  detected  a  taint  in  the  air 
and  then  the  two  resumed  their  slumbers,  as  li 

d0Th<Tt°rapper  seized  the  bridle  of  the  ass,  and  cried, 

^^e^isTo  tiletor  words.     The  squatter  and  his 
brood  are  within  a  mile  or  two  of  this  blessed  spot! 

Middleton  lost  all  recollection  of  Ellen  in ,  tte . ganger 
which  now  so  imminently  beset  his  recovered  bride    n< 
Sit  necessary  to  add  that  Dr.  Battius  did  not  wait  for  a 
second  admonition  to  commence  ^s  retreat 

Following  the  route  indicated  by  the  old 
turnedThe  ?ock  in  a  body,  and  f^g** 
as  possible  across  the  prairie  under  the  favor 
it  afforded. 


198  THE   PRAIRIE 

Paul  Hover,  however,  remained  in  his  tracks,  sullenly 
leaning  on  his  rifle.  Near  a  minute  had  elapsed  before 
he  was  observed  by  Ellen,  who  had  buried  her  face  in  her 
hands  to  conceal  her  fancied  desolation  from  herself. 

"Why  do  you  not  fly"  the  weeping  girl  exclaimed,  the 
instant  she  perceived  she  was  not  alone. 

"I'm  not  used  to  it." 

"My  uncle  will  soon  be  here!  You  have  nothing  to 
hope  from  his  pity." 

"Nor  from  that  of  his  niece,  I  reckon.  Let  him  come, 
he  can  only  knock  me  on  the  head!" 

"Paul,  Paul,  if  you  love  me,  fly." 

"Alone! — if  I  do  may  I  be — 

"If  you  value  your  life,  fly!" 

"I  value  it  not,  compared  to  you." 

"Paul!" 

"Ellen!" 

She  extended  both  her  hands,  and  burst  into  another 
and  a  still  more  violent  flood  of  tears.  The  bee-hunter 
put  one  of  his  sturdy  arms  around  her  waist,  and  in 
another  moment  he  was  urging  her  over  the  plain,  in 
rapid  pursuit  of  their  flying  friends. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

"Approach  the  chamber,  and  destroy  your  sight 
With  a  new  Gorgon.    Do  not  bid  me  speak ; 
See,  and  then  speak  yourselves." 

-SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  little  run  which  supplied  the  family  of  the  squatter 
with  water,  and  nourished  the  trees  and  bushes  that  grew 
near  the  base  of  the  rocky  eminence,  took  its  rise  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  latter,  in  a  small  thicket  of  cot 
ton-wood  and  vines.  Hither,  then,  the  trapper  directed 
the  flight,  as  to  the  place  affording  the  only  available 
cover  in  so  pressing  an  emergency.  It  will  be  remem 
bered  that  the  sagacity  of  the  old  man,  which,  from  long 
practise  in  similar  scenes,  amounted  nearly  to  an  instinct 
in  all  cases  of  sudden  danger,  had  first  induced  him  to 
take  this  course,  as  it  placed  the  hill  between  them  and 
the  approaching  party.  Favored  by  this  circumstance,  he 
succeeded  in  reaching  the  bushes  in  sufficient  time;  and 
Paul  Hover  had  just  hurried  the  breathless  Ellen  into  the 
tangled  brush  as  Ishmael  gained  the  summit  of  the  rock 
in  the  manner  already  described,  where  he  stood  like  a 
man  momentarily  bereft  of  sense,  gazing  at  the  confusion 
which  had  been  created  among  his  chattels,  or  at  his 
gagged  and  bound  children,  who  had  been  safely  bestowed, 
by  the  forethought  of  the  bee-hunter,  under  the  cover  of 
a  bark  roof,  in  a  sort  of  irregular  pile.  A  long  rifle 
would  have  thrown  a  bullet  from  the  height  on  which  the 
squatter  now  stood  into  the  very  cover  where  the  fugi 
tives  who  had  wrought  all  this  mischief  were  clustered. 

The  trapper  was  the  first  to  speak,  as  the  man  on  whose 
intelligence  and  experience  they  all  depended  for  counsel, 
after  running  his  eye  over  the  different  individuals  who 
gathered  about  him,  in  order  to  see  that  none  were 
missing. 

"Ah!  natur'  is  natur';  and  has  done  its  work!"  he  said 
nodding  to  the  exulting  Paul,  with  a  smile  of  approba- 

199 


200  THE   PRAIRIE 

tion.  "I  thought  it  would  be  hard  for  those  who  had  so 
often  met  in  fair  and  foul,  by  starlight  and  under  the 
clouded  moon,  to  part  at  last  in  anger.  Now  is  there 
little  time  to  lose  in  talk,  and  everything  to  gain  by  in 
dustry  !  It  cannot  be  long  afore  some  of  yonder  brood 
will  be  nosing  along  the  'arth  for  our  trail,  and  should 
they  find  it,  as  find  it  they  surely  will,  and  should  they 
push  us  to  stand  on  our  courage,  the  dispute  must  be  set 
tled  with  the  rifle;  which  may  He  in  heaven  forbid! 
Captain,  can  you  lead  us  to  the  place  where  any  of  your 
warriors  lie?  for  the  stout  sons  of  the  squatter  will  make 
a  manly  brush  of  it,  or  I  am  but  little  of  a  judge  in  war 
like  dispositions!" 

"The  place  of  rendezvous  is  many  leagues  from  this, 
on  the  banks  of  La  Platte." 

"It  is  bad — it  is  bad.  If  fighting  is  to  be  done,  it  is 
always  wise  to  enter  on  it  on  equal  terms.  But  what  has 
one  so  near  his  time  to  do  with  ill  blood  and  hot  blood  at 
his  heart!  Listen  to  what  a  gray  head  and  some  experi 
ence  have  to  offer,  and  then  if  any  among  you  can  point 
out  a  wiser  fashion  for  a  retreat,  we  can  just  follow  his 
design  and  forget  that  I  have  spoken.  This  thicket 
stretches  for  a  mile,  as  it  may  be,  slanting  from  the 
rock,  and  leads  towards  the  sunset  instead  of  the  settle 
ments.  ' ' 

"Enough,  enough,"  cried  Middleton,  too  impatient  to 
wait  until  the  deliberative  and  perhaps  loquacious  old 
man  could  end  his  minute  explanation.  "Time  is  too 
precious  for  words.  Let  us  fly. " 

The  trapper  made  a  gesture  of  compliance,  and  turning 
in  his  tracks,  he  led  Asinus  across  the  trembling  earth  of 
the  swale,  and  quickly  emerged  on  the  hard  ground  on 
the  side  opposite  to  the  encampment  of  the  squatter. 

"If  old  Ishmael  gets  a  squint  at  that  highway  through 
the  brush,"  cried  Paul,  casting,  as  he  left  the  place,  a 
hasty  glance  at  the  broad  trail  the  party  had  made  through 
the  thicket,  "he'll  need  no  finger-board  to  tell  him  which 
way  his  road  lies.  But  let  him  follow!  I  know  the  vag 
abond  would  gladly  cross  his  breed  with  a  little  honest 
blood,  but  if  any  son  of  his  ever  gets  to  be  the  husband 
of " 


THE   PRAIRIE  201 

"Hush,  Paul,  hush!"  said  the  terrified  young  woman, 
who  leaned  on  his  arm  for  support;  "your  voice  might  be 
heard." 

The  bee-hunter  was  silent,  though  he  did  not  cease  to 
cast  ominous  looks  behind  him  as  they  flew  along  the  edge 
of  the  run,  which  sufficiently  betrayed  the  belligerent 
condition  of  his  mind.  As  each  one  was  busy  for  himself, 
but  a  few  minutes  elapsed  before  the  party  rose  a  swell  of 
the  prairie,  and  descending  without  a  moment's  delay  on 
the  opposite  side,  they  were  at  once  removed  from  every 
danger  of  being  seen  by  the  sons  of  Ishmael,  unless  the 
pursuers  should  happen  to  fall  upon  their  trail.  The  old 
man  now  profited  by  the  formation  of  the  land  to  take 
another  direction,  with  a  view  to  elude  pursuit,  as  a  ves 
sel  changes  her  course  in  fogs  and  darkness  to  escape  from 
the  vigilance  of  her  enemies. 

Two  hours,  passed  in  the  utmost  diligence,  enabled  them 
to  make  a  half  circuit  around  the  rock,  and  to  reach  a 
point  that  was  exactly  opposite  to  the  original  direction 
of  their  flight.  To  most  of  the  fugitives  their  situation 
was  as  entirely  unknown  as  is  that  of  a  ship  in  the  middle 
of  the  ocean  to  the  un instructed  voyager;  but  the  old  man 
proceeded  at  every  turn,  and  through  every  bottom,  with 
a  decision  that  inspired  his  followers  with  confidence,  as 
it  spoke  favorably  of  his  own  knowledge  of  the  localities. 
His  hound,  stopping  now  and  then  to  catch  the  expression 
of  his  eye,  had  preceded  the  trapper  throughout  the  whole 
distance  with  as  much  certainty  as  though  a  previous  and 
intelligible  communion  between  them  had  establ 
route  by  which  they  were  to  proceed.  But,  at  the  expira 
tion  of  the  time  just  named,  the  dog  suddenly  came  to  a 
stand,  and  then  seating  himself  on  the  prairie,  he  snuffe 
the  air  a  moment,  and  began  a  low  and  piteous  whmm 

"Ay    pup   ay     I  know  the  spot— I  know  the  spot,  am 
reason 'there  is  to  remember  it  well!"  said  the  old  man, 
stopping  by  the  side  of  his  uneasy  associate,  until 
who  followed  had  time  to  come  up.     "Now,  yonder 
thicket  before   us,"    he   continued,    pointing    forward 
"where  we  may  lie  till  tall  trees  grow  on  these  nake 
fields  afore  any  of  the  squatter's  kin  will  venture  to  mol 
us." 


202  THE   PRAIRIE 

'  'This  is  the  spot  where  the  body  of  the  dead  man  lay!" 
cried  Middleton,  examining  the  place  with  an  eye  that 
revolted  at  the  recollection. 

"The  very  same.  But  whether  his  friends  have  put 
him  in  the  bosom  of  the  ground  or  not,  remains  to  be 
seen.  The  hound  knows  the  scent,  but  seems  to  be  a  little 
at  a  loss,  too.  It  is  therefore  necessary  that  you  advance, 
friend  bee-hunter,  to  examine,  while  I  tarry  to  keep  the 
dogs  from  complaining  in  too  loud  a  voice." 

"I ! "  exclaimed  Paul,  thrusting  his  hand  into  his  shaggy 
locks,  like  one  who  thought  it  prudent  to  hesitate  before 
he  undertook  so  formidable  an  adventure;  "now,  harkee, 
old  trapper;  I've  stood  in  my  thinnest  cottons  in  the  midst 
of  many  a  swarm  that  has  lost  its  queen-bee,  without 
winking,  and  let  me  tell  you  the  man  who  can  do  that  is 
not  likely  to  fear  any  living  son  of  skirting  Ishmael;  but 
as  to  meddling  with  dead  men's  bones,  why  it  is  neither 
my  calling  nor  my  inclination;  so,  after  thanking  you  for 
the  favor  of  your  choice,  as  they  say  when  they  make  a 
man  a  corporal  in  Kentucky,  I  decline  serving." 

The  old  man  turned  a  disappointed  look  towards  Mid 
dleton,  who  was  too  much  occupied  in  solacing  Inez  to 
observe  his  embarrassment,  which  was,  however,  suddenly 
relieved  from  a  quarter,  whence,  from  previous  circum 
stances,  there  was  little  reason  to  expect  such  a  demon 
stration  of  fortitude. 

Doctor  Battius  had  rendered  himself  a  little  remarkable 
throughout  the  whole  of  the  preceding  retreat,  for  the  ex 
ceeding  diligence  with  which  he  had  labored  to  effect  that 
desirable  object.  So  very  conspicuous  was  his  zeal,  indeed, 
as  to  have  entirely  got  the  better  of  all  his  ordinary  pre 
dilections.  The  worthy  naturalist  belonged  to  that  species 
of  discoverers  who  make  the  worst  possible  traveling  com 
panions  to  a  man  who  has  reason  to  be  in  a  hurry.  No 
stone,  no  bush,  no  plant,  is  ever  suffered  to  escape  the 
examination  of  their  vigilant  eyes,  and  thunder  may  mut 
ter,  and  rain  fall,  without  disturbing  the  abstraction  of 
their  reveries.  Not  so,  however,  with  the  disciple  of 
Linnasus,  during  the  momentous  period  that  it  remained 
a  mooted  point  at  the  tribunal  of  his  better  judgment, 
whether  the  stout  descendants  of  the  squatter  were  not 


THE   PRAIRIE  203 

likely  to  dispute  his  right  to  traverse  the  prairie  in  free 
dom.  The  highest  blooded  and  best  trained  hound  with 
his  Same  m  view,  could  not  have  run  with  an  eye  more 
riveted  than  that  with  which  the  Doctor  had  pursued  his 
curvilinear  course.  It  was  perhaps  lucky  for  his  fortitude 
that  he  was  ignorant  of  the  artifice  of  the  trapper  in  lead 
ing  them  around  the  citadel  of  Ishmael,  and  that  he  had 
imbibed  the  soothing  impression  that  every  inch  of  prairie 
he  traversed  was  just  so  much  added  to  the  distance  be 
tween  his  own  person  and  the  detested  rock.  Notwith 
standing  the  momentary  shock  he  certainly  experienced 
when  he  discovered  this  error,  he  now  boldly  volunteered 
to  enter  the  thicket  in  which  there  was  some  reason  to 
believe  the  body  of  the  murdered  Asa  still  lay.  Perhaps 
the  naturalist  was  urged  to  show  his  spirit  on  this  occasion, 
by  some  secret  consciousness  that  his  excessive  industry 
in  the  retreat  might  be  liable  to  misconstruction;  and  it 
is  certain  that  whatever  might  be  his  peculiar  notions  of 
danger  from  the  quick,  his  habits  and  his  knowledge  had 
placed  him  far  above  the  apprehension  of  suffering  harm 
from  any  communication  with  the  dead. 

"If  there  is  any  service  to  be  performed  which  requires 
the  perfect  command  of  the  nervous  system,"  said  the 
man  of  science,  with  a  look  that  was  slightly  blustering, 
"you  have  only  to  give  a  direction  to  his  intellectual  fac 
ulties,  and  here  stands  one  on  whose  physical  powers  you 
may  depend." 

"The  man  is  given  to  speak  in  parables,"  muttered  the 
single-minded  trapper;  "but  I  conclude  there  is  always 
some  meaning  hidden  in  his  words,  though  it  is  as  hard  to 
find  sense  in  his  speeches  as  to  discover  three  eagles  on 
the  same  tree.  It  will  be  wise,  friend,  to  make  a  cover, 
lest  the  sons  of  the  squatter  should  be  out  skirting  on  our 
trail,  and  as  you  well  know,  there  is  some  reason  to  fear 
yonder  thicket  contains  a  sight  that  may  horrify  a  woman's 
mind.  Are  you  man  enough  to  look  death  in  the  face;  or 
shall  I  run  the  risk  of  the  hounds  raising  an  outcry,  and 
go  in  myself?  You  see  the  pup  is  willing  to  run  in  with 
an  open  mouth  already." 

"Am  I  man  enough!  Venerable  trapper,  our  commun 
ications  have  a  recent  origin,  or  thy  interrogatory  might 


204  THE   PRAIRIE 

have  a  tendency  to  embroil  us  in  angry  disputation.  Am 
I  man  enough!  I  claim  to  be  of  the  class,  mammalia; 
orger,  primates;  genus,  homo!  Such  are  my  physical  at 
tributes;  of  my  moral  properties  let  posterity  speak!  it 
becomes  me  to  be  mute." 

"Physic  may  do  for  such  as  relish  it;  to  my  taste  and 
judgment  it  is  neither  palatable  nor  healthy;  but  morals 
never  did  harm  to  any  living  mortal,  be  it  that  he  was  a 
sojourner  in  the  forest,  or  a  dweller  in  the  midst  of  glazed 
windows  and  smoking  chimneys.  It  is  only  a  few  hard 
words  that  divide  us,  friend;  for  I  am  of  opinion,  that 
with  use  and  freedom  we  should  understand  one  another, 
and  mainly  settle  down  into  the  same  judgments  of  man 
kind,  and  of  the  ways  of  the  world.  Quiet,  Hector,  quiet; 
what  ruffles  your  temper,  pup;  is  it  not  used  to  the  scent 
of  human  blood?" 

The  doctor  bestowed  a  gracious  but  commiserating  smile 
on  the  philosopher  of  nature,  as  he  retrograded  a  step  or 
two  from  the  place  whither  he  had  been  impelled  by  his 
excess  of  spirit,  in  order  to  reply  with  less  expenditure  of 
breath,  and  with  a  greater  freedom  of  air  and  attitude. 

"A  homo  is  certainly  a  homo, ' '  he  said,  stretching  forth 
an  arm  in  an  argumentative  manner;  '  'so  far  as  the  animal 
functions  extend,  there  are  the  connecting  links  of  har 
mony,  order,  conformity,  and  design,  between  the  whole 
genus ;  but  there  the  resemblance  ends.  Man  may  be  de 
graded  to  the  very  margin  of  the  line  which  separates  him 
from  the  brute,  by  ignorance;  or  he  may  be  elevated  to  a 
communion  with  the  great  Master  Spirit  of  all,  by  knowl 
edge;  nay,  I  know  not,  if  time  and  opportunity  were  given 
him,  but  he  might  become  the  master  of  all  learning,  and 
consequently  equal  to  the  great  moving  principle." 

The  old  man,  who  stood  leaning  on  his  rifle  in  a  thought 
ful  attitude,  shook  his  head,  as  he  answered  with  a  native 
steadiness  that  entirely  eclipsed  the  imposing  air  which 
his  antagonist  had  seen  fit  to  assume: 

"This  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  mortal  wickedness. 
Here  have  I  been  a  dweller  on  the  earth  for  fourscore  and 
six  changes  of  the  seasons,  and  all  that  time  have  I  looked 
at  the  growing  and  the  dying  trees,  and  yet  do  I  not  know 
the  reasons  why  the  bud  starts  under  the  summer  sun,  or 


THE   PRAIRIE  205 

the  leaf  falls  when  it  is  pinched  by  the  frosts.     Your 
1 arnmg,  though  it  is  man's  boast,  is  folly  in  the  eves  of 
Him  who  sits  in  the  clouds,  and  looks  down  in  sorrow  at 
the  pride  and  vanity  of  His  creatur's.     Many  is  the  hour 
that  I  ve  passed  lying  in  the  shades  of  the  woods   or 
stretched  upon  the  hills  of  these  open  fields,  looking  up 
into  the  blue  skies,  where  I  could  fancy  the  Great  One 
had  taken  his  stand,  and  was  solemnizing  on  the  way 
wardness  of  man  and  brute  below,  as  I  myself  had  often 
looked  at  the  ants  tumbling  over  each  other  in  their  eager 
ness,  though  in  a  way  and  a  fashion  more  suited  to  His 
mightiness  and  power.     Knowledge!    It  is  His  plaything. 
Say,  you  who  think  it  so  easy  to  climb  into  the  judgment- 
seat  above,  can  you  tell  me  anything  of  the  beginning  and 
the   end?     Nay,   you're  a  dealer  in  ai lings  and  cures. 
What  is  life,  and  what  is  dsath?     Why  does  the  eagle  live 
so  long,  and  why  is  the  time  of  the  butterfly  so  short? 
Tell  me  a  simpler  thing:     Why  is  this  hound  so  uneasy, 
while  you  who  have  passed  your  days  in  looking  into  books 
can  see  no  reason  to  be  disturbed?" 

The  Doctor,   who  had  been  a  little  astounded  by  the 
dignity  and  energy  of  the  old  man,  drew  a  long  breath, 
like  a  sullen  wrestler  who  is  just  released  from  the  throt 
tling  grasp  of  his  antagonist,  and  seized  on  the  opportun 
ity  of  the  pause  to  reply: 
"It  is  his  instinct." 
"And  what  is  the  gift  of  instinct?" 
'  'An  inferior  gradation  of  reason.    A  sort  of  mysterious 
combination  of  thought  and  matter." 

"And  what  is  that  which  you  call  thought?" 
"Venerable  venator,  this  is  a  method  of  reasoning  which 
sets  at  naught  the  uses  of  definitions,  and  such  as  I  do  as 
sure  you  is  not  at  all  tolerated  in  the  schools." 

"Then  is  there  more  cunning  in  your  schools  than  I  had 
thought,  for  it  is  a  certain  method  of  showing  them  their 
vanity,"  returned  the  trapper,  suddenly  abandoning  a 
discussion  from  which  the  naturalist  was  just  beginning  to 
anticipate  great  delight,  by  turning  to  his  dog,  whose 
restlessness  he  attempted  to  appease  by  playing  with  his 
ears. 

"This  is  foolish,  Hector;  more  like  an  untrained  pup 


206  THE   PRAIRIE 

than  a  sensible  hound;  one  who  has  got  his  education  by 
hard  experience,  and  not  by  nosing  over  the  trails  of  other 
dogs,  as  a  boy  in  the  settlements  follows  on  the  track  of 
his  masters,  be  it  right  or  be  it  wrong.  Well,  friend; 
you  who  can  do  so  much,  are  you  equal  to  looking  into  the 
thicket?  or  must  I  go  in  myself?" 

The  Doctor  again  assumed  his  air  of  resolution,  and 
without  further  parlance  proceeded  to  do  as  desired.  The 
dogs  were  so  far  restrained  by  the  remonstrances  of  the 
old  man  as  to  confine  their  noise  to  low  but  often  repeated 
whinings.  When  they  saw  the  naturalist  advance,  the 
pup,  however,  broke  through  all  restraint,  and  made  a 
swift  circuit  around  his  person,  scenting  the  earth  as  he 
proceeded,  and  then,  returning  to  his  companion,  he 
howled  aloud. 

"The  squatter  and  his  brood  have  left  a  strong  scent  on 
the  earth, ' '  said  the  old  man,  watching  as  he  spoke  for 
some  signal  from  his  learned  pioneer  to  follow;  "I  hope 
yonder  school-bred  man  knows  enough  to  remember  the 
errand  on  which  I  have  sent  him. ' ' 

Doctor  Battius  had  already  disappeared  in  the  bushes, 
and  the  trapper  was  beginning  to  betray  additional  evi 
dences  of  impatience,  when  the  person  of  the  former  was 
seen  retiring  from  the  thicket  backwards,  with  his  face 
fastened  on  the  place  he  had  just  left,  as  if  his  look  was 
bound  in  the  thraldom  of  some  charm. 

"Here  is  something  skeary,  by  the  wildness  of  the  crea- 
tur's  countenance!"  exclaimed  the  old  man,  relinquishing 
his  hold  of  Hector,  and  moving  stoutly  to  the  side  of  the 
totally  unconscious  naturalist.  "How  is  it,  friend;  have 
you  found  a  new  leaf  in  your  book  of  wisdom?" 

"It  is  a  basilisk!"  muttered  the  Doctor,  whose  altered 
visage  betrayed  the  utter  confusion  which  beset  his  facul 
ties.  "An  animal  of  the  order,  serpens.  I  had  thought 
its  attributes  were  fabulous,  but  mighty  nature  is  equal 
to  all  that  man  can  imagine!" 

"What  is't?  what  is't?  The  snakes  of  the  prairies  are 
harmless,  unless  it  be  now  and  then  an  angered  rattler, 
and  he  always  gives  you  notice  with  his  tail  afore  he  works 
his  mischief  with  his  fangs.  Lord,  Lord,  what  a  hum 
bling  thing  is  fear!  Here  is  one  who  in  common  delivers 


THE  PRAIRIE  207 

words  too  big  for  a  humble  mouth  to  hold,  so  much  beside 
himself  that  his  voice  is  as  shrill  as  the  whistle  of  the 
whip-poor-will!  Courage!— what  is  it,  man?— what  is 

1  V   i 

"A  prodigy!  a  lusus  naturae!  a  monster  that  nature 
has  delighted  to  form  in  order  to  exhibit  her  power! 
Never  before  have  I  witnessed  such  an  utter  confusion  in 
her  laws,  or  a  specimen  that  so  completely  bids  defiance 
to  the  distinctions  of  class  and  genera.  Let  me  record  its 
appearance,"  fumbling  for  his  tablets  with  hands  that 
trembled  too  much  to  perform  their  office,  "while  time 
and  opportunity  are  allowed — eyes,  enthralling;  color, 
various,  complex,  and  profound — 

"One  would  think  the  man  was  crazed  with  his  enthral 
ling  looks  and  piebald  colors!"  interrupted  the  discon 
tented  trapper,  who  began  to  grow  a  little  uneasy  that 
his  party  was  all  this  time  neglecting  to  seek  the  protec 
tion  of  some  cover.  "If  there  is  a  reptile  in  the  brush, 
show  me  the  creatur',  and  should  it  refuse  to  depart 
peaceably,  why  there  must  be  a  quarrel  for  the  possession 
of  the  place. ' ' 

"There!"  said  the  Doctor,  pointing  into  a  dense  mass 
of  the  thicket,  to  a  spot  within  fifty  feet  of  that  where 
they  both  stood.  The  trapper  turned  his  look  with  per 
fect  composure  in  the  required  direction,  but  the  instant 
his  practised  glance  met  the  object  which  had  so  utterly 
upset  the  philosophy  of  the  naturalist,  he  gave  a  start 
himself,  threw  his  rifle  forward,  and  as  instantly  recovered 
it,  as  if  a  second  flash  of  thought  convinced  him  he  was 
wrong.  Neither  the  instinctive  movement  nor  the  sudden 
recollection  was  without  a  sufficient  object.  At  the  very 
margin  of  the  thicket,  and  in  absolute  contact  with  the 
earth,  lay  an  animate  ball  that  might  easily,  by  the  sin 
gularity  and  fierceness  of  its  aspect,  have  justified  the 
disturbed  condition  of  the  naturalist's  mind.  It  were 
difficult  to  describe  the  shape  or  colors  of  this  extraor 
dinary  substance,  except  to  say  in  general  terms,  that  it 
was  nearly  spherical,  and  exhibited  all  the  hues  of  the 
rainbow,  intermingled  without  reference  to  harmony,  and 
without  any  very  ostensible  design.  The  predominant 
hues  were  a  black  and  bright  vermilion.  With  these, 


208  THE   PRAIRIE 

however,  the  several  tints  of  white,  yellow,  and  crimson, 
were  strangely  and  wildly  blended. 

Had  this  been  all,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  have 
pronounced  that  the  object  was  possessed  of  life,  for  it  lay 
motionless  as  any  stone;  but  a  pair  of  dark,  glaring,  and 
moving  eye-balls,  which  watched  with  jealousy  the  small 
est  movements  of  the  trapper  and  his  companion,  suffi 
ciently  established  the  important  fact  of  its  possessing 
vitality. 

"Your  reptile  is  a  scouter,  or  I'm  no  judge  of  Indian 
paints  and  Indian  deviltries!"  muttered  the  old  man, 
dropping  the  butt  of  his  weapon  to  the  ground,  and  gazing 
with  a  steady  eye  at  the  frightful  object,  as  he  leaned  on 
its  barrel,  in  an  attitude  of  great  composure.  "He  wants 
to  face  us  out  of  sight  and  reason,  and  makes  us  think  the 
head  of  a  red-skin  is  a  stone  covered  with  the  autumn  leaf; 
or  he  has  some  other  devilish  artifice  in  his  mind!" 

"Is  the  animal  human?"  demanded  the  Doctor,  "of  the 
genus  homo?  I  had  fancied  it  a  nondescript." 

"It's  as  human,  and  as  mortal  too,  as  a  warrior  of  these 
prairies  is  ever  known  to  be.  I  have  seen  the  time  when 
a  red-skin  would  have  shown  a  foolish  daring  to  peep  out 
of  his  ambushment  in  that  fashion  on  a  hunter  I  could 
name,  but  who  is  too  old  now,  and  too  near  his  time,  to 
be  anything  better  than  a  miserable  trapper.  It  will  be 
well  to  speak  to  the  imp,  and  to  let  him  know  he  deals 
with  men  whose  beards  are  grown.  Come  forth  from  your 
cover,  friend,"  he  continued,  in  the  language  of  the  ex 
tensive  tribes  of  the  Dahcotahs;  "there  is  room  on  the 
prairie  for  another  warrior." 

The  eyes  appeared  to  glare  more  fiercely  than  before, 
but  the  mass  which,  according  to  the  trapper's  opinion, 
was  neither  more  nor  less  than  a  human  head  shorn,  as 
usual  among  the  warriors  of  the  west,  of  its  hair,  still 
continued  without  motion,  or  any  other  sign  of  life. 

"It  is  a  mistake!"  exclaimed  the  Doctor.  "The  animal 
is  not  even  of  the  class,  mammalia,  much  less  a  man." 

"So  much  for  your  knowledge!"  returned  the  trapper, 
laughing  with  great  exultation.  "So  much  for  the  Tam 
ing  of  one  who  has  looked  into  so  many  books,  that  his 
eyes  are  not  able  to  tell  a  moose  from  a  wild-cat!  Now, 


THE   PRAIRIE  209 

my  Hector,  here,  is  a  dog  of  education  after  his  fashion, 
and,  though  the  meanest  primer  in  the  settlements  would 
puzzle  his  information,  you  could  not  cheat  the  hound  in 
a  matter  like  this.  As  you  think  the  object  no  man,  you 
shall  see  his  whole  formation,  and  then,  let  an  ignorant  old 
trapper,  who  never  willingly  passed  a  day  within  reach  of 
a  spelling-book  in  his  life,  know  by  what  name  to  call  it. 
Mind,  I  mean  no  violence;  but  just  to  start  the  devil  from 
his  ambushment. " 

The  trapper  very  deliberately  examined  the  priming  of 
his  rifle,  taking  care  to  make  as  great  a  parade  as  possible 
of  his  hostile  intentions,  in  going  through  the  necessary 
evolutions  with  the  weapon.  When  he  thought  the  stranger 
began  to  apprehend  some  danger,  he  very  deliberately 
presented  the  piece,  and  called  aloud: 

"Now,  friend,  I  am  all  for  peace,  or  all  for  war,  as  you 
may  say.  No!  Well  it  is  no  man,  as  the  wiser  one  here 
says,  and  there  can  be  no  harm  in  just  firing  into  a  bunch 
of  leaves. ' ' 

The  muzzle  of  the  rifle  fell  as  he  concluded,  and  the 
weapon  was  gradually  settling  into  a  steady,  and  what 
would  easily  have  proved  a  fatal  aim,  when  a  tall  Indian 
sprang  from  beneath  that  bed  of  leaves  and  brush,  which 
he  had  collected  about  his  person  at  the  approach  of  the 
party,  and  stood  upright,  uttering  the  exclamation: 

"Wagh!" 
14 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

"My  visor  is  Philemon's  roof ;  within  the  house  is  Jove. " 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  trapper,  who  had  meditated  no  violence,  dropped 
his  rifle  again,  and  laughing  at  the  success  of  his  experi 
ment,  with  great  seeming  self-complacency,  he  drew  the 
astounded  gaze  of  the  naturalist  from  the  person  of  the 
savage  to  himself,  by  saying: 

"The  imps  will  lie  for  hours,  like  sleeping  alligators, 
brooding  their  deviltries  in  dreams  and  other  craftiness, 
until  such  time  as  they  see  some  real  danger  is  at  hand, 
and  then  they  look  to  themselves  the  same  as  other  mor 
tals.  But  this  is  a  scouter  in  his  war-paint!  There 
should  be  more  of  his  tribe  at  no  great  distance.  Let  us 
draw  the  truth  out  of  him;  for  an  unlucky  war-party  may 
prove  more  dangerous  to  us  than  a  visit  from  the  whole 
family  of  the  squatter. ' ' 

"It  is  truly  a  desperate  and  dangerous  species!"  said 
the  Doctor,  relieving  his  amazement  by  a  breath  that 
seemed  to  exhaust  his  lungs  of  air;  "a  violent  race,  and 
one  that  it  is  difficult  to  define  or  class,  within  the  usual 
boundaries  of  definitions.  Speak  to  him,  therefore;  but 
let  thy  words  be  strong  in  amity." 

The  old  man  cast  a  keen  eye  on  every  side  of  him,  to 
ascertain  the  important  particular  whether  the  stranger 
was  supported  by  any  associates,  and  then  making  the 
usual  signs  of  peace,  by  exhibiting  the  palm  of  his  naked 
hand,  he  boldly  advanced.  In  the  meantime,  the  Indian 
betrayed  no  evidence  of  uneasiness.  He  suffered  the  trap 
per  to  draw  nigh,  maintaining  by  his  own  mien  and  atti 
tude  a  striking  air  of  dignity  and  fearlessness.  Perhaps 
the  wary  warrior  also  knew  that,  owing  to  the  difference 
in  their  weapons,  he  should  be  placed  more  on  an  equality, 
by  being  brought  nearer  to  the  strangers. 

210 


THE   PRAIRIE  211 

As  a  description  of  this  individual  may  furnish  some  idea 
of  the  personal  appearance  of  a  whole  race,  it  may  be  we^ 
to  detain  the  narrative,  in  order  to  present  it  to  the  reader 
in  our  hasty  and  imperfect  manner.  Would  the  truant 
eyes  of  Allston  or  Greenough  turn,  but  for  a  time,  from 
their  gaze  at  the  models  of  antiquity,  to  contemplate  this 
wronged  and  humbled  people,  little  would  be  left  for  such 
interior  artists  as  ourselves  to  delineate. 

The  Indian  in  question  was  in  every  particular  a  war 
rior  of  fine  stature  and  admiral  proportions.    As  he  cast 
aside  his  mask,  composed  of  such  party-colored  leaves  as 
he  had  hurriedly  collected,  his  countenance  appeared  in 
all  the  gravity,  the  dignity,  and,  it  may  be  added,  in  the 
terror  of  his  profession.     The  outlines  of  his  lineaments 
were  strikingly  noble,  and  nearly  approaching  to  Roman, 
though  the  secondary  features  of  his  face  were  slightly 
marked  with  the  well-known  traces  of  his  Asiatic  origin. 
The  peculiar  tint  of  the  skin,  which  in  itself  is  so  well 
designed  to  aid  the  effect  of  a  martial  expression,  had  re 
ceived  an  additional  aspect  of  wild  ferocity  from  the  colors 
of  the  war-paint.     But,  as  if  he  disdained  the  usual  arti-r 
fices  of  his  people,  he  bore  none  of  those  strange  and  hor 
rid  devices,  with  which  the  children  of  the  forest  are 
accustomed,  like  the  more  civilized  heroes  of  the  mous 
tache,  to  back  their  reputation  for  courage,  contenting 
himself  with  a  broad  and  deep  shadowing  of  black,  that 
served  as  a  sufficient  and  an  admirable  foil  to  the  brighter 
gleamings  of  his  native  swarthiness.     His  head  was,  as 
usual,   shaved  to  the  crown,  where  a  large  and  gallant 
scalp-lock  seemed  to  challenge  the  grasp  of  his  enemies. 
The  ornaments  that  were  ordinarily  pendent  from  the 
cartilages  of  his  ears  had  been  removed,  on  account  of  h»s 
present  pursuit.     His  body,  notwithstanding  the  lateness 
of  the  season,  was  nearly  naked,  and  the  portion  which 
was  clad  bore  a  vestment  no  warmer  than  a  light  robe  of 
the  finest  dressed  deerskin,  beautifully  stained  with  the 
rude  design  of  some  daring  exploit,  and  which  was  care 
lessly  worn  as  if  more  in  pride  than  from  any  unmanly 
regard  to  comfort.     His  leggings  were  of  bright  scarlet 
cloth,  the  only  evidence  about  his  person  that  he  had  held 
communion  with  the  traders  of  the  pale-faces.     But  as  if 


212  THE   PRAIRIE 

to  furnish  some  offset  to  this  solitary  submission  to  a 
womanish  vanity,  they  were  fearfully  fringed,  from  the 
gartered  knee  to  the  bottom  of  the  moccasin,  with  the 
hair  of  human  scalps.  He  leaned  lightly  with  one  hand 
on  a  short  hickory  bow,  while  the  other  rather  touched 
than  sought  support,  from  the  long,  delicate  handle  of  an 
ashen  lance.  A  quiver  made  of  the  cougar  skin,  from 
which  the  tail  of  the  animal  depended,  as  a  characteristic 
ornament,  was  slung  at  his  back;  and  a  shield  of  hides, 
quaintly  emblazoned  with  another  of  his  warlike  deeds, 
was  suspended  from  his  neck  by  a  thong  of  sinews. 

As  the  trapper  approached,  this  warrior  maintained  his 
calm,  upright  attitude,  discovering  neither  an  eagerness 
to  ascertain  the  character  of  those  who  advanced  upon 
him,  nor  the  smallest  wish  to  avoid  a  scrutiny  in  his  own 
person.  An  eye  that  was  darker  and  more  shining  than 
that  of  the  stag,  was  incessantly  glancing,  however,  from 
one  to  another  of  the  stranger  party,  seemingly  never 
knowing  rest  for  an  instant. 

"Is  my  brother  far  from  his  village?"  demanded  the 
old  man,  in  the  Pawnee  language,  after  examining  the 
paint,  and  those  other  little  signs  by  which  a  practised 
eye  knows  the  tribe  of  the  warrior  he  encounters  in  the 
American  deserts,  with  the  same  readiness,  and  by  the 
same  sort  of  mysterious  observations,  as  that  by  which  the 
seaman  knows  the  distant  sail. 

"It  is  further  to  the  towns  of  the  Big-knives, "  was  the 
laconic  reply. 

"Why  is  a  Pawnee-Loup  so  far  from  the  fork  of  his 
own  river,  without  a  horse  to  journey  on,  and  in  a  spot 
empty  as  this?" 

"Can  the  women  and  children  of  a  pale-face  live  with 
out  the  meat  of  the  bison?  There  was  hunger  in  my 
lodge." 

"My  brother  is  very  young  to  be  already  the  master  of 
a  lodge,"  returned  the  trapper,  looking  steadily  into  the 
unmoved  countenance  of  the  youthful  warrior;  "but  I  dare 
say  he  is  brave,  and  that  many  a  chief  has  offered  him  his 
daughters  for  wives.  But  he  has  been  mistaken, ' '  pointing 
to  the  arrow,  which  was  dangling  from  the  hand  that  held 
the  bow,  "in  bringing  a  loose  and  barbed  arrow-head  to 


THE   PRAIRIE  213 

kill  the  buffalo.     Do  the  Pawnees  wish  the  wounds  they 
give  their  game  to  rankle?" 

"It  is  good  to  be  ready  for  the  Sioux.     Though  not  in 
sight,  a  bush  may  hide  him." 

"The  man  is  a  living  proof  of  the  truth  of  his  words  " 
muttered  the  trapper  in  English,  "and  a  close-jointed  and 
gallant-looking  lad  he  is;  but  far  too  young  for  a  chief  of 
any  importance.     It  is  wise,  however,  to  speak  him  fair 
for  a  single  arm  thrown  into  either  party,  if  we  come  to 
blows  with  the  squatter  and  his  brood,  may  turn  the  day 
"You  see  my  children  are  weary,"  he  continued  in  the 
dialect  of  the  prairies,  pointing,  as  he  spoke,  to  the  rest 
of  the  party,  who  by  this  time  were  also  approaching. 
"We  wish  to  camp  and  eat.     Does  my  brother  claim  this 
spot?" 

"The  runners  from  the  people  on  the  Big  River  tell  us 
that  your  nation  have  traded  with  the  Tawney-faces  who 
live  beyond  the  salt-lake,  and  that  the  prairies  are  now 
the  hunting-grounds  of  the  Big- knives!" 

"It  is  true,  as  I  hear  also  from  the  hunters  and  trappers 
on  La  Platte.  Though  it  is  with  the  Frenchers,  and  not 
with  the  men  who  claim  to  own  the  Mexicos,  that  my 
people  have  bargained." 

"And  warriors  are  going  up  the  Long  River  to  see  that 
they  have  not  been  cheated  in  what  they  have  bought?" 

"Ay,  that  is  partly  true,  too,  I  fear;  and  it  will  not 
be  long  before  an  accursed  band  of  choppers  and  loggers 
will  be  following  on  their  heels,  to  humble  the  wilderneB* 
which  lies  so  broad  and  rich  on  the  western  banks  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  then  the  land  will  be  a  peopled  desert, 
from  the  shores  of  the  main  sea  to  the  foot  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains;  filled  with  all  the  abominations  and  craft  of 
man,  and  stript  of  the  comforts  and  loveliness  it  received 
from  the  hands  of  the  Lord ! ' ' 

"And  where  were  the  chiefs  of  the  Pawnee-Loups  when 
this  bargain  was  made?"  suddenly  demanded  the  youthful 
warrior,  a  look  of  startling  fierceness  gleaming,  at  the 
same  instant,  athwart  his  dark  visage.  "Is  a  nation  to 
be  sold  like  the  skin  of  a  beaver?" 

"Right  enough — right  enough,  and  where  were  truth 
and  honesty  also?  But  might  is  right,  according  to  the 


214  THE   PRAIRIE 

fashions  of  the  'arth;  and  what  the  strong  choose  to  do, 
the  weak  must  call  justice.  If  the  law  of  the  Wahcondah 
was  as  much  hearkened  to,  Pawnee,  as  the  laws  of  the 
Long-knives,  your  right  to  the  prairies  would  be  as  good 
as  that  of  the  greatest  chief  in  the  settlements  to  the 
house  which  covers  his  head." 

"The  skin  of  the  traveler  is  white, "  said  the  young 
native,  laying  a  finger  impressively  on  the  hard  and 
wrinkled  hand  of  the  trapper.  "Does  his  heart  say  one 
thing,  and  his  tongue  another?" 

"The  Wahcondah  of  a  white  man  has  ears,  and  He  shuts 
them  to  a  lie.  Look  at  my  head;  it  is  like  a  frosted  pine, 
and  must  soon  be  laid  in  the  ground.  Why  then  should  I 
wish  to  meet  the  Great  Spirit  face  to  face,  while  his  coun 
tenance  is  dark  upon  me?" 

The  Pawnee  gracefully  threw  his  shield  over  one  shoul 
der,  and  placing  a  hand  on  his  chest,  he  bent  his  head,  in 
deference  to  the  gray  locks  exhibited  by  the  trapper ;  after 
which  his  eye  became  more  steady,  and  his  countenance 
less  fierce.  Still  he  maintained  every  appearance  of  a  dis 
trust  and  watchfulness  that  were  rather  tempered  and 
subdued  than  forgotten.  When  this  equivocal  species  of 
amity  was  established  between  the  warrior  of  the  prairies 
and  the  experienced  old  trapper,  the  latter  proceeded  to 
give  his  directions  to  Paul,  concerning  the  arrangements 
of  the  contemplated  halt.  While  Inez  and  Ellen  were 
dismounting,  and  Middleton  and  the  bee-hunter  were  at 
tending  to  their  comforts,  the  discourse  was  continued, 
sometimes  in  the  language  of  the  natives,  but  often,  as 
Paul  and  the  Doctor  mingled  their  opinions  with  the  two 
principal  speakers,  in  the  English  tongue.  There  was  a 
keen  and  subtle  trial  of  skill  between  the  Pawnee  and  the 
trapper,  in  which  each  endeavored  to  discover  the  objects 
of  the  other,  without  betraying  his  own  interest  in  the 
investigation.  As  might  be  expected,  when  the  struggle 
was  between  adversaries  so  equal,  the  result  of  the  en 
counter  answered  the  expectations  of  neither.  The  latter 
had  put  all  the  interrogatories  his  ingenuity  and  practise 
could  suggest  concerning  the  state  of  the  tribe  of  the 
Loups,  their  crops,  their  store  of  provisions  for  the  ensu 
ing  winter,  and  their  relations  with  their  different  war- 


THE   PRAIRIE  215 

like  neighbors,  without  extorting  any  answer,  which  in 
the  slightest  degree  elucidated  the  cause  of  his  finding  a 
solitary  warrior  so  far  from  his  people.  On  the  other 
hand,  while  the  questions  of  the  Indian  were  far  more 
dignified  and  delicate,  they  were  equally  ingenious.  He 
commented  on  the  state  of  the  trade  in  peltries,  spoke  of 
the  good  or  ill  success  of  many  white  hunters,  whom  he 
had  either  encountered  or  heard  named,  and  even  alluded 
to  the  steady  march  which  the  nation  of  his  great  father, 
as  he  cautiously  termed  the  government  of  the  States,  was 
making  towards  the  hunting-grounds  of  his  tribe.  It  was 
apparent,  however,  by  the  singular  mixture  of  interest, 
contempt,  and  indignation,  that  were  occasionally  gleam 
ing  through  the  reserved  manner  of  this  warrior,  that  he 
knew  the  strange  people,  who  were  thus  trespassing  on  his 
native  rights,  much  more  by  report  than  by  any  actual 
intercourse.  This  personal  ignorance  of  the  whites  was 
as  much  betrayed  by  the  manner  in  which  he  regarded  the 
females,  as  by  the  brief  but  energetic  expressions  which 
occasionally  escaped  him. 

While  speaking  to  the  trapper  he  suffered  his  wandering 
glances  to  stray  towards  the  intellectual  and  nearly  infan 
tile  beauty  of  Inez,  as  one  might  be  supposed  to  gaze  upon 
the  loveliness  of  an  ethereal  being.     It  was  very  evid 
that  he  now  saw,  for  the  first  time,  one  of  those  females, 
of  whom  the  fathers  of  his  tribe  so  often  spoke,  and  wh< 
were  considered  of  such  rare  excellence  as  to  equal  all  that 
savaze  ingenuity  could  imagine  in  the  way  of  loveliness. 

Hfs  observation  of  Ellen  was  less  marked,  but  notwith- 
standmo-  the  warlike  and  chastened  expression  of  his    ye, 
there  was  much  of  the  homage  which  man  is  made  to  pay 
to  woman,  even  in  the  more  cursory  ^ok  he  sometn.es 
turned  on  her  maturer  and  perhaps  more  am  mated 
This  admiration,  however,  was  so  tempered  1 
and  so  smothered  in  the  pride  of  a  warrior,  as  comple 
to  elude  every  eye  but  that  of  the  trapper   who  was    oo 
well  skilled  in  Indian  customs,  and  was  too  well  insti      .ea 
7n  the  importance  of  rightly  conceiving  the  charac *er  of 
the  stranger,  to  let  the  smallest  trait,  or  the  mo  sttnfl  n* 


216  THE   PRAIRIE 

resolute  Inez,  with  her  accustomed  assiduity  and  tender 
ness,  exhibiting  in  her  frank  features  those  changing 
emotions  of  joy  and  regret  which  occasionally  beset  her, 
as  her  active  mind  dwelt  on  the  decided  step  she  had  just 
taken,  with  the  contending  doubts  and  hopes,  and  possibly 
with  some  of  the  mental  vacillation,  that  was  natural  to 
her  situation  and  sex. 

Not  so  Paul;  conceiving  himself  to  have  obtained  the 
two  things  dearest  to  his  heart,  the  possession  of  Ellen 
and  a  triumph  over  the  sons  of  Ishmael,  he  now  enacted 
his  part  in  the  business  of  the  moment,  with  as  much 
coolness  as  though  he  was  already  leading  his  willing 
bride,  from  solemnizing  their  nuptials  before  a  border 
magistrate,  to  the  security  of  his  own  dwelling.  He  had 
hovered  around  the  moving  family,  during  the  tedious 
period  of  their  weary  march,  concealing  himself  by  day, 
and  seeking  interviews  with  his  betrothed  as  opportunity 
offered,  in  the  manner  already  described,  until  fortune 
and  his  own  intrepidity  had  united  to  render  him  success 
ful,  at  the  very  moment  when  he  was  beginning  to  des 
pair;  and  he  now  cared  neither  for  distance,  nor  violence, 
nor  hardships.  To  his  sanguine  fancy  and  determined 
resolution  all  the  rest  was  easily  to  be  achieved.  Such 
were  his  feelings,  and  such  in  truth  they  seemed  to  be. 
With  his  cap  cast  on  one  side,  and  whistling  a  low  air,  he 
thrashed  among  the  bushes,  in  order  to  make  a  place  suit 
able  for  the  females  to  repose  on,  while,  from  time  to 
time,  he  cast  an  approving  glance  at  the  agile  form  of 
Ellen,  as  she  tripped  past  him,  engaged  in  her  own  share 
of  the  duty. 

"And  so  the  Wolf-tribe  of  the  Pawnees  have  buried 
the  hatchet  with  their  neighbors  the  Konzas?"  said  the 
trapper,  pursuing  a  discourse  which  he  had  scarcely  per 
mitted  to  flag,  though  it  had  been  occasionally  interrupted 
by  the  different  directions  with  which  he  occasionally 
saw  fit  to  interrupt  it.  (The  reader  will  remember  that, 
while  he  spoke  to  the  native  warrior  in  his  own  tongue, 
he  necessarily  addressed  his  white  companions  in  Eng 
lish.)  "The  Loups  and  the  light-faced  red-skins  are  again 
friends.  Doctor,  that  is  a  tribe  of  which  I'll  engage 
you've  often  read,  and  of  which  many  a  round  lie  has 


THE   PRAIRIE  217 

been  whispered  in  the  ears  of  the  ignorant  people  who 
w  Ci  ?  the?ettlements.  There  was  a  story  of  a  nation  of 
Welshers,  that  lived  here-away  in  the  prairies,  and  how 
they  came  into  the  land  afore  the  uneasy-minded  man 
who  first  led  in  the  Christians  to  rob  the  heathens  of 
their  inheritance,  had  ever  dreamt  that  the  sun  set  on  a 
country  as  big  as  that  it  rose  from.  And  how  they  knew 
the  white  ways  and  spoke  with  white  tongues,  and  a  thou 
sand  other  follies  and  idle  conceits." 

"Have  I  not  heard  of  them?"  exclaimed  the  naturalist, 
dropping  a  piece  of  jerked  bison's  meat,  which  he  was 
rather  roughly  discussing,  at  the  moment.  "I  should  be 
greatly  ignorant  not  to  have  often  dwelt  with  delight  on 
so  beautiful  a  theory,  and  one  which  so  triumphantly 
establishes  two  positions,  which  I  have  often  maintained 
are  unanswerable,  even  without  such  living  testimony  in 
their  favor;  namely,  that  this  continent  can  claim  a  more 
remote  affinity  with  civilization  than  the  time  of  Colum 
bus,  and  that  color  is  the  fruit  of  climate  and  condition, 
and  not  a  regulation  of  nature.  Propound  the  latter  ques 
tion  to  this  Indian  gentleman,  venerable  hunter;  he  is  of 
a  reddish  tint  himself,  and  his  opinion  may  be  said  to 
make  us  masters  of  the  two  sides  of  the  disputed  point." 
"Do  you  think  a  Pawnee  is  a  reader  of  books,  and  a 
believer  of  printed  lies,  like  the  idlers  in  the  towns?"  re 
torted  the  old  man  laughing.  "But  it  may  be  as  well  to 
humor  the  likings  of  the  man,  which,  after  all,  it  is  quite 
possible,  are  neither  more  nor  less  than  his  natural  gift, 
and  therefore  to  be  followed,  although  they  may  be  pitied. 
What  does  my  brother  think?  all  whom  he  sees  here  have 
pale  skins,  but  the  Pawnee  warriors  are  red;  does  he  be 
lieve  that  man  changes  with  the  season,  and  that  the  son 
is  not  like  his  father?" 

The  young  warrior  regarded  his  interrogator  for  a  mo 
ment  with  a  steady  and  deliberating  eye;  then  raising  his 
finger  upwards,  he  answered  with  dignity: 

"The  Wahcondah  pours  the  rain  from  his  clouds;  when 
He  speaks,  He  shakes  the  hills;  and  the  fire,  which  scorches 
the  trees,  is  the  anger  of  his  eye;  but  He  fashioned  his 
children  with  care  and  thought.  What  He  has  thus  made, 
never  alters!" 


218  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Ay,  'tis  in  the  reason  of  natur'  that  it  should  be  so, 
Doctor, ' '  continued  the  trapper,  when  he  had  interpreted 
this  answer  to  the  disappointed  naturalist.  '  'The  Pawnees 
are  a  wise  and  a  great  people,  and  I'll  engage  they  abound 
in  many  a  wholesome  and  honest  tradition.  The  hunters 
and  trappers  that  I  sometimes  see,  speak  of  a  great  warrior 
of  your  race." 

"My  tribe  are  not  women.  A  brave  is  no  stranger  in 
my  village." 

"Ay;  but  he  they  speak  of  most  is  a  chief  far  beyond 
the  renown  of  common  warriors,  and  one  that  might  have 
done  credit  to  that  once  mighty  but  now  fallen  people, 
the  Delawares  of  the  hills." 

"Such  a  warrior  should  have  a  name?" 

"They  call  him  Hard-Heart,  from  the  stoutness  of  his 
resolution;  and 'well  is  he  named,  if  all  I  have  heard  of 
his  deeds  be  true." 

The  stranger  cast  a  glance  which  seemed  to  read  the 
guileless  soul  of  the  old  man,  as  he  demanded: 

"Has  the  pale  face  seen  the  partisan  of  my  people?" 

"Never.  It  is  not  with  me  now  as  it  used  to  be  some 
forty  years  ago,  when  warfare  and  bloodshed  were  my 
calling  and  my  gifts!" 

A  loud  shout  from  the  reckless  Paul  interrupted  his 
speech,  and  at  the  next  moment  the  bee-hunter  appeared, 
leading  an  Indian  war-horse  from  the  side  of  the  thicket 
opposite  to  the  one  occupied  by  the  party. 

"Here  is  a  beast  for  a  red-skin  to  straddle!"  he  cried, 
as  he  made  the  animal  go  through  some  of  its  wild  paces. 
"There's  not  a  brigadier  in  all  Kentucky  that  can  call 
himself  master  of  so  sleek  and  well-jointed  a  nag!  A 
Spanish  saddle,  too,  like  a  grandee  of  the  Mexicos!  and 
look  at  the  mane  and  tail,  braided  and  plaited  down  with 
little  silver  balls,  as  if  it  were  Ellen  herself  getting  her 
shining  hair  ready  for  a  dance  or  a  husking  frolic!  Isn't 
this  a  real  trotter,  old  trapper,  to  eat  out  of  the  manger 
of  a  savage?" 

"Softly,  lad,  softly.  The  Loups  are  famous  for  their 
horses,  and  it  is  often  that  you  see  a  warrior  on  the  prai 
ries  far  better  mounted  than  a  congressman  in  the  settle 
ments.  But  this,  indeed,  is  a  beast  that  none  but  a 


THE   PRAIRIE  219 

powerful  chief  should  ride!  The  saddle,  as  you  rightly 
think,  has  been  sat  upon  in  its  day  by  a  great  Spanish 
captain,  who  has  lost  it  and  his  life  together  in  some  of 
the  battles  which  this  people  often  fight  against  the 
southern  provinces.  I  warrant  me,  I  warrant  me  the 
youngster  is  the  son  of  a  great  chief;  maybe  of  the 
mighty  Hard-Heart  himself!" 

During  this  rude  interruption  to  the  discourse  the 
young  Pawnee  manifested  neither  impatience  nor  displeas 
ure,  but  when  he  thought  his  beast  had  been  the  subject 
of  sufficient  comment,  he  very  coolly,  and  with  the  air  of 
one  accustomed  to  have  his  will  respected,  relieved  Paul 
of  the  bridle,  and  throwing  the  reins  on  the  neck  of  the 
animal,  he  sprang  upon  his  back  with  the  activity  of  a 
professor  of  the  equestrian  art.  Nothing  could  be  finer 
or  firmer  than  the  seat  of  the  savage.  The  highly  wrought 
and  cumbrous  saddle  was  evidently  more  for  show  than 
use.  Indeed  it  impeded  rather  than  aided  the  action  of 
limbs  which  disdained  to  seek  assistance  or  admit  of 
restraint  from  so  womanish  inventions  as  stirrups.  The 
horse,  which  immediately  began  to  prance,  was,  like  its 
rider,  wild  and  untutored  in  all  its  motions,  but  while 
there  was  so  little  of  art  there  was  all  the  freedom  and 
grace  of  nature  in  the  movements  of  both.  The  animal 
was  probably  indebted  to  the  blood  of  Araby  for  its  excel 
lence,  through  a  long  pedigree  that  embraced  the  steed  of 
Mexico,  the  Spanish  barb,  and  the  Moorish  charger.  The 
rider,  in  obtaining  his  steed  from  the  provinces  of  Central 
America,  had  also  obtained  that  spirit  and  grace  in  con 
trolling  him  which  unite  to  form  the  most  intrepid  and 
perhaps  the  most  skilful  horseman  in  the  world.  _ 

Notwithstanding  this  sudden  occupation  of  his  animal 
the  Pawnee  discovered  no  hasty  wish  to  depart.     More  at 
his  ease,  and  possibly  more  independent,  now  he  found 
himself  secure  of  the  means  of  retreat,  he  rode  back  and 
forth,  eying  the  different  individuals  of  the  party  wij 
far  greater  freedom  than  before.     But,  at  each  extrermt: 
of  his  ride,  just  as  the  sagacious  trapper  expected  to  sc 
him  profit  by  his  advantage  and  fly,  he  would  turn 
horse  and  pass  over  the  same  ground,  sometimes  wit 
rapidity  of  the  flying  deer,  and  at  others  more  slowly  an< 


220  THE   PRAIRIE 

with  greater  dignity  of  mien  and  attitude.  Anxious  to 
ascertain  such  facts  as  might  have  an  influence  on  his  fu 
ture  movements,  the  old  man  determined  to  invite  him 
to  a  renewal  of  their  conference.  He  therefore  made  a 
gesture  expressive  at  the  same  time  of  his  wish  to  resume 
the  interrupted  discourse,  and  of  his  own  pacific  inten 
tions.  The  quick  eye  of  the  stranger  was  not  slow  to  note 
the  action,  but  it  was  not  until  a  sufficient  time  had 
passed  to  allow  him  to  debate  the  prudence  of  the  measure 
in  his  own  mind,  that  he  seemed  willing  to  trust  himself 
again  so  near  a  party  that  was  so  much  superior  to  him 
self  in  physical  power  and  consequently  one  that  was  able 
at  any  instant  to  command  his  life,  or  control  his  personal 
liberty.  When  he  did  approach  nigh  enough  to  converse 
with  facility,  it  was  with  a  singular  mixture  of  haughti 
ness  and  of  distrust. 

"It  is  far  to  the  village  of  the  Loups, "  he  said,  stretch 
ing  his  arm  in  a  direction  contrary  to  that  in  which  the 
trapper  well  knew  the  tribe  dwelt,  "and  the  road  is 
crooked.  What  has  the  Big-knife  to  say?" 

"Ay,  crooked  enough!"  muttered  the  old  man  in  Eng 
lish,  "if  you  are  to  set  out  on  your  journey  by  that  path, 
but  not  half  so  winding  as  the  cunning  of  an  Indian's 
mind.  Say,  my  brother,  do  the  chiefs  of  the  Pawnees 
love  to  see  strange  faces  in  their  lodges?" 

The  young  warrior  bent  his  body  gracefully,  though 
but  slightly,  over  the  saddle-bow,  as  he  replied: 

"When  have  my  people  forgotten  to  give  food  to  the 
stranger?" 

"If  I  lead  my  daughters  to  the  doors  of  the  Loups  will 
the  women  take  them  by  the  hand  and  will  the  warriors 
smoke  with  my  young  men?" 

"The  country  of  the  pale  faces  is  behind  them.  Why 
do  they  journey  so  far  towards  the  setting  sun?  Have 
they  lost  the  path,  or  are  these  the  women  of  the  white 
warriors  that  I  hear  are  wading  up  the  river  of  'the 
troubled  waters?'  ' 

"Neither.  They  who  wade  the  Missouri  are  the  war 
riors  of  my  great  father,  who  has  sent  them  on  his  message; 
but  we  are  peace-runners.  The  white  men  and  the  red 
are  neighbors,  and  they  wish  to  be  friends.  Do  not  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  221 

Omahaws  visit  the  Loups  when  the  tomahawk  is  buried 
in  the  path  between  the  two  nations?" 

"The  Omahaws  are  welcome." 

"And  the  Yanktons,  and  the  burnt- wood  Tetons,  who 
live  in  the  elbow  of  the  river  'with  muddy  water;'  do 
they  not  come  into  the  lodges  of  the  Loups  and  smoke?" 

"The  Tetons  are  liars!"  exclaimed  the  other.  "They 
dare  not  shut  their  eyes  in  the  night.  No;  they  sleep  in 
the  sun.  See,"  he  added,  pointing  with  fierce  triumph 
to  the  frightful  ornaments  of  his  leggings,  "their  scalps 
are  so  plenty  that  the  Pawnees  tread  on  them !  Go ;  let  a 
Sioux  live  in  banks  of  snow;  the  plains  and  buffaloes  are 
for  men!" 

"Ah!  the  secret  is  out,"  said  the  trapper  to  Middleton, 
who  was  an  attentive  because  a  deeply  interested  observer 
of  what  was  passing.  "This  good-looking  young  Indian 
is  scouting  on  the  track  of  the  Sioux — you  may  see  it  by 
his  arrow-heads  and  his  paint;  ay,  and  by  his  eye,  too, 
for  a  red-skin  lets  his  natur'  follow  the  business  he  is  on, 
be  it  for  peace  or  be  it  for  war, — quiet,  Hector,  quiet. 
Have  you  never  scented  a  Pawnee  afore,  pup? — keep 
down,  dog — keep  down!  My  brother  is  right.  The  Sioux 
are  thieves.  Men  of  all  colors  and  nations  say  it  of  them, 
and  say  it  truly.  But  the  people  from  the  rising  sun 
are  not  Sioux,  and  they  wish  to  visit  the  lodges  of  the 
Loups. ' ' 

"The  head  of  my  brother  is  white, "  returned  the  Paw 
nee,  throwing  one  of  those  glances  at  the  trapper  which 
were  so  remarkably  expressive  of  distrust,  intelligence, 
and  pride,  and  then  pointing,  as  he  continued,  towards 
the  eastern  horizon,  "and  his  eyes  have  looked  on  many 
things;  can  he  tell  me  the  name  of  what  he  sees  yonder 
—is  it  a  buffalo?" 

"It  looks  more  like  a  cloud  peeping  above  the  skirt  ot 
the  plain  with  the  sunshine  lighting  its  edges.  It  is  the 
smoke  of  the  heavens. 

"It  is  a  hill  of  the  earth,  and  on  its  top  are  the  lodges 
of  pale  faces!  Let  the  women  of  my  brother  wash  then 
feet  among  the  people  of  their  own  color." 

"The  eyes  of  a  Pawnee  are  good  if  he  can  see  a  WBI 
skin  so  far. ' ' 


222  THE   PRAIRIE 

The  Indian  turned  slowly  towards  the  speaker,  and  after 
a  pause  of  a  moment  he  sternly  demanded : 

"Can  my  brother  hunt?" 

'  'Alas !  I  claim  to  be  no  better  than  a  miserable  trapper ! ' ' 

"When  the  plain  is  covered  with  the  buffaloes,  can  he 
see  them?" 

"No  doubt,  no  doubt — it  is  far  easier  to  see  than  to 
take  a  scampering  bull." 

"And  when  the  birds  are  flying  from  the  cold,  and  the 
clouds  are  black  with  their  feathers,  can  he  see  them,  too?" 

"Ay,  ay,  it  is  not  hard  to  find  a  duck  or  a  goose  when 
millions  are  darkening  the  heavens." 

'  'When  the  snow  falls  and  covers  the  lodges  of  the  Long- 
knives,  can  the  stranger  see  flakes  in  the  air?" 

"My  eyes  are  none  of  the  best  now,"  returned  the  old 
man  a  little  resentfully,  "but  the  time  has  been  when  I 
had  a  name  for  my  sight!" 

"The  red-skins  find  the  Big-knives  as  easily  as  the 
strangers  see  the  buffalo,  or  the  traveling  birds,  or  the 
falling  snow.  Your  warriors  think  the  Master  of  life  has 
made  the  whole  earth  white.  They  are  mistaken.  They 
are  pale,  and  it  is  their  own  faces  that  they  see.  Go!  a 
Pawnee  is  not  blind  that  he  need  look  long  for  your 
people ! ' ' 

The  warrior  suddenly  paused  and  bent  his  face  aside, 
like  one  who  listened  with  all  his  faculties  absorbed  in 
the  act.  Then  turning  the  head  of  his  horse,  he  rode  to 
the  nearest  angle  of  the  thicket,  and  looked  intently 
across  the  bleak  prairie,  in  a  direction  opposite  to  the 
side  on  which  the  party  stood.  Returning  slowly  from 
this  unaccountable,  and  to  his  observers,  startling  pro 
cedure,  he  riveted  his  eyes  on  Inez,  and  paced  back  and 
forth  several  times  with  the  air  of  one  who  maintained  a 
warm  struggle  on  some  difficult  point  in  the  recesses  of 
his  own  thoughts.  He  had  drawn  the  reins  of  his  impa 
tient  steed,  and  was  seemingly  about  to  speak,  when  his 
head  again  sank  on  his  chest,  and  he  resumed  his  former 
attitude  of  attention.  Galloping  like  a  deer  to  the  place 
of  his  former  observations,  he  rode  for  a  moment  swiftly 
in  short  and  rapid  circles,  as  if  still  uncertain  of  his 
course,  and  then  darted  away  like  a  bird  that  had  been 


THE   PRAIRIE  223 

fluttering  around  its  nest  before  it  takes  a  distant  flight. 
After  scouring  the  plain  for  a  minute  he  was  lost  to  the 
eye  behind  a  swell  of  the  land. 

The  hounds,  who  had  also  manifested  great'  uneasiness 
for  sometime,  followed  him  for  a  little  distance,  and  then 
terminated  their  chase  by  seating  themselves  on  the  ground 
and  raising  their  usual  low,  whining,  and  warning  howls. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

"  How  if  he  will  not  stand  ?" 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  several  movements  related  in  the  close  of  the  pre 
ceding  chapter  had  passed  in  so  short  a  space  of  time,  that 
the  old  man,  while  he  neglected  not  to  note  the  smallest 
incident,  had  no  opportunity  of  expressing  his  opinion 
concerning  the  stranger's  motives.  After  the  Pawnee  had 
disappeared,  however,  he  shook  his  head  and  muttered, 
while  he  walked  slowly  to  the  angle  of  the  thicket  that 
the  Indian  had  just  quitted. 

'  'There  are  both  scents  and  sounds  in  the  air,  though 
my  miserable  senses  are  not  good  enough  to  hear  the  one 
or  to  catch  the  taint  of  the  other. ' ' 

"There  is  nothing  to  be  seen,"  cried  Middleton,  who 
kept  close  at  his  side.  "My  eyes  and  my  ears  are  good, 
and  yet  I  can  assure  you  that  I  neither  hear  nor  see  any 
thing." 

"Your  eyes  are  good!  and  you  are  not  deaf!"  returned 
the  other,  with  a  slight  air  of  contempt;  "no,  lad,  no; 
they  may  be  good  to  see  across  a  church,  or  hear  a  town- 
bell,  but  afore  you  had  passed  a  year  in  these  prairies  you 
would  find  yourself  taking  a  turkey  for  a  buffalo,  or  con 
ceiting  fifty  times  that  the  roar  of  a  buffalo  bull  was  the 
thunder  of  the  Lord!  There  is  a  deception  of  natur'  in 
these  naked  plains  in  which  the  air  throws  up  the  images 
like  water,  and  then  it  is  hard  to  tell  the  prairie  from  a 
sea.  But  yonder  is  a  sign  that  a  hunter  never  fails  to 
know!" 

The  trapper  pointed  to  a  flight  of  vultures  that  were 
sailing  over  the  plain  at  no  great  distance,  and  apparently 
in  the  direction  in  which  the  Pawnee  had  riveted  his  eyes. 
At  first  Middleton  could  not  distinguish  the  small  dark 
objects  that  were  dotting  the  dusky  clouds;  but  as  they 

224 


THE   PRAIRIE  225 

came  swiftly  onward,   first  their  forms  and  then  their 
heavy  waving  wings  became  distinctly  visible. 

"Listen!"  said  the  trapper,  when  he  had  succeeded  in 
making  Middleton  see  the  moving  column  of  birds.  "Now 
you  hear  the  buffaloes,  or  bisons,  as  your  knowing  Doctor 
sees  fit  to  call  them,  though  buffaloes  is  their  name  among 
all  the  hunters  of  these  regions.  And  I  conclude  that  a 
hunter  is  a  better  judge  of  a  beast  and  of  its  name,"  he 
added,  winking  at  the  young  soldier,  "than  any  man  who 
has  turned  over  the  leaves  of  a  book  instead  of  traveling 
over  the  face  of  the  'arth,  in  order  to  find  out  the  naturs 
of  its  inhabitants." 

"Of  their  habits,  I  will  grant  you,"  cried  the  naturalist, 
who  rarely  missed  an  opportunity  to  agitate  any  disputed 
point  in  his  favorite  studies.  "That  is,  provided  always 
deference  is  had  to  the  proper  use  of  definitions,  and  that 
they  are  contemplated  with  scientific  eyes." 

"Eyes  of  a  mole!  as  if  any  man's  eyes  were  not  as  good 
for  names  as  the  eyes  of  any  other  creatur' !  Who  named 
the  works  of  His  hand?  can  you  tell  me  that,  with  your 
book  and  college  wisdom?  Was  it  not  the  first  man  in  the 
Garden,  and  is  it  not  a  plain  consequence  that  his  children 
inherit  his  gifts?" 

"That  is  certainly  the  Mosaic  account  of  the  event," 
said  the  Doctor;  "though  your  reading  is  by  far  too 
literal!" 

"My  reading:  nay,  if  you  suppose  that  I  have  wasted 
my  time  in  schools,  you  do  such  a  wrong  to  my  knowledge 
as  one  mortal  should  never  lay  to  the  door  of  another  with 
out  sufficient  reason.  If  I  have  ever  craved  the  art  of 
reading,  it  has  been  that  I  might  better  know  the  sayings 
of  the  book  you  name,  for  it  is  a  book  which  speaks  in 
every  line  according  to  human  feelings,  and  therein 
according  to  reason." 

"And  do  you  then  believe,"  said  the  Doctor,  a  little 
provoked  by  the  dogmatism  of  his  stubborn  adversary, 
and  perhaps  secretly  too  confident  in  his  own  more  liberal, 
though  scarcely  as  profitable  attainments,  "do  you  then 
believe  that  all  these  beasts  were  literally  collected  in  a 
garden  to  be  enrolled  in  the  nomenclature  of  the  first 
man?" 
15 


226  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Why  not?  I  understand  your  meaning;  for  it  is  not 
needful  to  live  in  towns  to  hear  all  the  devilish  devices 
that  the  conceit  of  man  can  invent  to  upset  his  own  hap 
piness.  What  does  it  prove,  except  indeed  it  may  be  said 
to  prove  that  the  garden  He  made  was  not  after  the  miser 
able  fashions  of  our  times,  thereby  directly  giving  the  lie 
to  what  the  world  calls  its  civilizing?  No,  no;  the  garden 
of  the  Lord  was  the  forest  then,  and  is  the  forest  now, 
where  the  fruits  do  grow  and  the  birds  do  sing,  according 
to  his  own  wise  ordering.  Now,  lady,  you  may  see  the 
mystery  of  the  vultures!  There  come  the  buffaloes  them 
selves,  and  a  noble  herd  it  is!  I  warrant  me  that  Pawnee 
has  a  troop  of  his  people  in  some  of  the  hollows  nigh  by; 
and  as  he  has  gone  scampering  after  them,  you  are  about 
to  see  a  glorious  chase.  It  will  serve  to  keep  the  squatter 
and  his  brood  under  cover,  and  for  ourselves  there  is  little 
reason  to  fear.  A  Pawnee  is  not  apt  to  be  a  malicious 
savage. ' ' 

Every  eye  was  now  drawn  to  the  striking  spectacle  that 
succeeded.  Even  the  timid  Inez  hastened  to  the  side  of 
Middleton  to  gaze  at  the  sight,  and  Paul  summoned  Ellen 
from  her  culinary  labors  to  become  a  witness  of  the  lively 
scene. 

Throughout  the  whole  of  those  moving  events  which  it 
has  been  our  duty  to  record,  the  prairies  had  lain  in  the 
majesty  of  perfect  solitude.  The  heavens  had  been  black 
ened  with  the  passage  of  the  migratory  birds,  it  is  true; 
but  the  dogs  of  the  party  and  the  ass  of  the  Doctor  were 
the  only  quadrupeds  that  had  enlivened  the  broad  surface 
of  the  waste  beneath.  There  was  now  a  sudden  exhibition 
of  animal  life  which  changed  the  scene,  as  it  were  by 
magic,  to  the  very  opposite  extreme. 

A  few  enormous  bison  bulls  were  first  observed,  scour 
ing  along  the  most  distant  roll  of  the  prairie,  and  then 
succeeded  long  files  of  single  beasts,  which,  in  their  turn, 
were  followed  by  a  dark  mass  of  bodies,  until  the  dun- 
colored  herbage  of  the  plain  was  entirely  lost,  in  the 
deeper  hue  of  their  shaggy  coats.  The  herds,  as  the  col 
umn  spread  and  thickened,  was  like  the  endless  flocks  of 
the  smaller  birds,  whose  extended  flanks  are  so  often  seen 
to  heave  up  out  of  the  abyss  of  the  heavens,  until  they 


THE   PRAIRIE  227 

appear  as  countless  as  the  leaves  in  those  forests,  over 
which  they  wing  their  endless  flight.  Clouds  of  dust  shot 
up  in  little  columns  from  the  center  of  the  mass,  as  some 
animal,  more  furious  than  the  rest,  ploughed  the  plain 
with  his  horns,  and,  from  time  to  time,  a  deep  hollow 
bellowing  was  borne  along  on  the  wind,  as  if  a  thousand 
throats  vented  their  plaints  in  a  discordant  murmuring. 

A  long  and  musing  silence  reigned  in  the  party,  as  they 
gazed  on  this  spectacle  of  wild  and  peculiar  grandeur.  It 
was  at  length  broken  by  the  trapper,  who,  having  been 
long  accustomed  to  similar  sights,  felt  less  of  its  influence, 
or,  rather,  felt  it  in  a  less  thrilling  and  absorbing  manner, 
than  those  to  whom  the  scene  was  more  novel. 

' 'There  go  ten  thousand  oxen  in  one  drove,  without 
keeper  or  master,  except  Him  who  made  them,  and  gave 
them  these  open  plains  for  their  pasture!  Ay,  it  is  here 
that  man  may  see  the  proofs  of  his  wantonness  and  folly ! 
Can  the  proudest  governor  in  all  the  States  go  into  his 
fields,  and  slaughter  a  nobler  bullock  than  is  here  offered 
to  the  meanest  hand;  and  when  he  has  gotten  his  sirloin 
or  his  steak,  can  he  eat  it  with  as  good  a  relish  as  he  who 
has  sweetened  his  food  with  wholesome  toil,  and  earned  it 
according  to  the  law  of  natur',  by  honestly  mastering 
that  which  the  Lord  hath  put  before  him?" 

"If  the  prairie  platter  is  smoking  with  a  buffalo's 
hump,  I  answer,  No,"  interrupted  the  luxurious  bee- 
hunter. 

"Ay,  boy,  you  have  tasted,  and  you  feel  the  genuine 
reasoning  of  the  thing!  But  the  herd  is  heading  a  little 
this-away,  and  it  behooves  us  to  make  ready  for  their 
visit.  If  we  hide  ourselves  altogether,  the  horned  brutes 
will  break  through  the  place  and  trample  us  beneath  then 
feet,  like  so  many  creeping  worms;  so  we  will  just  put 
the  weak  ones  apart,  and  take  post,  as  becomes  men  and 
hunters,  in  the  van. 

As  there  was  but  little  time  to  make  the  necessary  ar 
rangements,  the  whole  party  set  about  them  in  good  ear 
nest  Inez  and  Ellen  were  placed  in  the  edge  of  the  thicket 
on  the  side  farthest  from  the  approaching  herd.  ASH 
was  posted  in  the  center,  in  consideration  of  his  nerves; 
and  then  the  old  man,  with  his  three  male  companions, 


228  THE   PRAIRIE 

divided  themselves  in  such  a  manner  as  they  thought 
would  enable  them  to  turn  the  head  of  the  rushing  column, 
should  it  chance  to  approach  too  nigh  their  position.  By 
the  vacillating  movements  of  some  fifty  or  a  hundred  bulls 
that  led  the  advance,  it  remained  questionable,  for  many 
moments,  what  course  they  intended  to  pursue.  But  a 
tremendous  and  painful  roar,  which  came  from  behind  the 
cloud  of  dust  that  rose  in  the  center  of  the  herd,  and 
which  was  horridly  answered  by  the  screams  of  the  carrion 
birds  that  were  greedily  sailing  directly  above  the  flying 
drove,  appeared  to  give  a  new  impulse  to  their  flight,  and 
at  once  to  remove  every  symptom  of  indecision.  As  if 
glad  to  seek  the  smallest  signs  of  the  forest,  the  whole  of 
the  affrighted  herd  became  steady  in  its  direction,  rushing 
in  a  straight  line  towards  the  little  cover  of  bushes  which 
has  already  been  so  often  named. 

The  appearance  of  danger  was  now,  in  reality,  of  a 
character  to  try  the  stoutest  nerves.  The  flanks  of  the 
dark,  moving  mass,  were  advanced  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
make  a  concave  line  of  the  front,  and  every  fierce  eye,  that 
was  glaring  from  the  shaggy  wilderness  of  hair  in  which 
the  entire  heads  of  the  males  were  enveloped,  was  riveted 
with  mad  anxiety  on  the  thicket.  It  seemed  as  if  each 
beast  strove  to  outstrip  his  neighbor,  in  gaining  this  de 
sired  cover;  and  as  thousands  in  the  rear  pressed  blindly 
on  those  in  front,  there  was  the  appearance  of  an  immi 
nent  risk  that  the  leaders  of  the  herd  would  be  precipitated 
on  the  concealed  party,  in  which  case  the  destruction  of 
every  one  of  them  was  certain.  Each  of  our  adventurers 
felt  the  danger  of  his  situation,  in  a  manner  peculiar  to 
his  individual  character  and  circumstances. 

Middleton  wavered.  At  times  he  felt  inclined  to  rush 
through  the  bushes,  and,  seizing  Inez,  attempt  to  fly. 
Then  recollecting  the  impossibility  of  outstripping  the 
furious  speed  of  an  alarmed  bison,  he  felt  for  his  arms, 
determined  to  make  head  against  the  countless  drove. 
The  faculties  of  Dr.  Battius  were  quickly  wrought  up  to 
the  very  summit  of  mental  delusion.  The  dark  forms  of 
the  herd  lost  their  distinctness,  and  then  the  naturalist 
began  to  fancy  he  beheld  a  wild  collection  of  all  the  crea 
tures  of  the  world,  rushing  upon  him  in  a  body,  as  if  to 


THE   PRAIRIE  229 

revenge  the  various  injuries,  which,  in  the  course  of  a  life 
of  indefatigable  labor  in  behalf  of  the  natural  sciences, 
he  had  inflicted  on  their  several  genera.  The  paralysis  it 
occasioned  in  his  system  was  like  the  effect  of  the  incubus. 
Equally  unable  to  fly  or  to  advance,  he  stood  riveted  to 
the  spot,  until  the  infatuation  became  so  complete,  that 
the  worthy  naturalist  was  beginning,  by  a  desperate  effort 
of  scientific  resolution,  even  to  class  the  different  speci 
mens.  On  the  other  hand,  Paul  shouted,  and  called  on 
Ellen  to  come  and  assist  him  in  shouting,  but  his  voice 
was  lost  in  the  bellowings  and  trampling  of  the  herd. 
Furious,  and  yet  strangely  excited  by  the  obstinacy  of  the 
brutes  and  the  wiidness  of  the  sight,  and  nearly  maddened 
by  sympathy  and  a  species  of  unconscious  apprehension, 
in  which  the  claims  of  nature  were  singularly  mingled 
with  concern  for  his  mistress,  he  nearly  split  his  throat 
in  exhorting  his  aged  friend  to  interfere. 

"Come  forth,  old  trapper,"  he  shouted,  "with  your 
prairie  inventions!  or  we  shall  be  all  smothered  under  a 
mountain  of  buffalo  humps!" 

The  old  man,  who  had  stood  all  this  while  leaning  on 
his  rifle,  and  regarding  the  movements  of  the  herd  with  a 
steady  eye,  now  deemed  it  time  to  strike  his  blow.  Level 
ing  his  piece  at  the  foremost  bull,  with  an  agility  that 
would  have  done  credit  to  his  youth,  he  fired.  The  animal 
received  the  bullet  on  the  matted  hair  between  his  horns, 
and  fell  to  his  knees;  but  shaking  his  head  he  instantly 
arose,  the  very  shock  seeming  to  increase  his  exertions. 
There  was  now  no  longer  time  to  hesitate.  Throwing 
down  his  rifle,  the  trapper  stretched  forth  his  arms,  and 
advanced  from  the  cover  with  naked  hands,  directly  to 
wards  the  rushing  column  of  the  beasts.  The  figure  of  a 
man,  when  sustained  by  the  firmness  and  steadiness  that 
intellect  can  only  impart,  rarely  fails  of  commanding  re 
spect  from  all  the  inferior  animals  of  the  creation.  The 
leading  bulls  recoiled,  and  for  a  single  instant  there  was 
a  sudden  stop  to  their  speed,  a  dense  mass  of  bodies  roll 
ing  up  in  front,  until  hundreds  were  seen  floundering  and 
tumbling  on  the  plain.  Then  came  another  of  those  hollow 
bellowings  from  the  rear,  and  set  the  herd  again  in  mo 
tion.  The  head  of  the  column,  however,  divided;  the 


230  THE   PRAIRIE 

immovable  form  of  the  trapper  cutting  it,  as  it  were,  into 
two  gliding  streams  of  life.  Middleton  and  Paul  instantly 
profited  by  his  example,  and  extended  the  feeble  barrier 
by  a  similar  exhibition  of  their  own  persons. 

For  a  few  moments,  the  new  impulse  given  to  the  animals 
in  front  served  to  protect  the  thicket.  But,  as  the  body 
of  the  herd  pressed  more  and  more  upon  the  open  line  of 
its  defenders,  and  the  dust  thickened,  so  as  to  obscure 
their  persons,  there  was,  at  each  instant,  a  renewed  dan 
ger  of  the  beasts  breaking  through.  It  became  necessary 
for  the  trapper  and  his  companions  to  become  still  more 
and  more  alert;  and  they  were  gradually  yielding  before 
the  headlong  multitude,  when  a  furious  bull  darted  by 
Middleton  so  near  as  to  brush  his  person,  and,  at  the  next 
instant,  swept  through  the  thicket  with  the  velocity  of  the 
wind. 

"Close,  and  dive  for  the  ground,"  shouted  the  old  man, 
"or  a  thousand  of  the  devils  will  be  at  his  heels!" 

All  their  efforts  would  have  proved  fruitless,  however, 
against  the  living  torrent,  had  not  Asinus,  whose  domains 
had  just  been  so  rudely  entered,  lifted  his  voice  in  the 
midst  of  the  uproar.  The  most  sturdy  and  furious  of  the 
bulls  trembled  at  the  alarming  and  unknown  cry,  and  then 
each  individual  brute  was  seen  madly  pressing  from  that 
very  thicket,  which  the  moment  before  he  had  endeavored 
to  reach,  with  the  eagerness  with  which  the  murderer 
seeks  the  sanctuary. 

As  the  stream  divided,  the  place  became  clear;  the  two 
dark  columns  moving  obliquely  from  the  copse,  to  unite 
again  at  the  distance  of  a  mile,  on  its  opposite  side.  The 
instant  the  old  man  saw  the  sudden  effect  which  the  voice 
of  Asinus  had  produced,  he  coolly  commenced  reloading 
his  rifle,  indulging,  at  the  same  time,  in  a  heartfelt  fit  of 
his  silent  and  peculiar  merriment. 

"There  they  go,  like  dogs  with  so  many  half -filled 
shot-pouches  dangling  at  their  tails,  and  no  fear  of  their 
breaking  their  order;  for  what  the  brutes  in  the  rear 
didn't  hear  with  their  own  ears,  they'll  conceit  they  did: 
besides,  if  they  change  their  minds,  it  may  be  no  hard 
matter  to  get  the  Jack  to  sing  the  rest  of  his  tune ! ' ' 

"The  ass  has  spoken,  but  Balaam  is  silent!"  cried  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  231 

bee-hunter,  catching  his  breath  after  a  repeated  burst  of 
noisy  mirth,  that  might  possibly  have  added  to  the  panic 
of  the  buffaloes  by  its  vociferation.  "The  man  is  as 
completely  dumbfounded,  as  if  a  swarm  of  young  bees  had 
settled  on  the  end  of  his  tongue,  and  he  not  willing  to 
speak,  for  fear  of  their  answer." 

"How  now,  friend,  "continued  the  trapper,  addressing 
the  still  motionless  and  entranced  naturalist;  "how  now, 
friend;  are  you,  who  make  your  livelihood  by  booking  the 
names  and  naturs  of  the  beasts  of  the  fields  and  the  fowls 
of  the  air,  frightened  at  a  herd  of  scampering  buffaloes? 
Though,  perhaps,  you  are  ready  to  dispute  my  right  to  call 
them  by  a  word  that  is  in  the  mouth  of  every  hunter  and 
trader  on  the  frontier!" 

The  old  man  was,  however,  mistaken,  in  supposing  he 
could  excite  the  benumbed  faculties  of  the  Doctor,  by  pro 
voking  a  discussion.  From  that  time,  henceforth,  he  was 
never  known,  except  on  one  occasion,  to  utter  a  word  that 
indicated  either  the  species,  or  the  genus  of  the  animal. 
He  obstinately  refused  the  nutritious  food  of  the  whole  ox 
family;  and  even  to  the  present  hour,  now  that  he  is  es 
tablished  in  all  the  scientific  dignity  and  security  of  a 
savant  in  one  of  the  maritime  towns,  he  turns  his  back 
with  a  shudder  on  those  delicious  and  unrivaled  viands, 
that  are  so  often  seen  at  the  suppers  of  the  craft,  and 
which  are  unequaled  by  anything  that  is  served  under  the 
same  name,  at  the  boasted  chop-houses  of  London,  or  at 
the  most  renowned  of  the  Parisian  restauran ts.  In  short, 
the  distaste  of  the  worthy  naturalist  for  beef  was  not  un 
like  that  which  the  shepherd  sometimes  produces,  by  first 
muzzling  and  fettering  his  delinquent  dog,  and  then  leav 
ing  him  as  a  stepping-stone  for  the  whole  flock  to  use  in 
its  transit  over  a  wall,  or  through  the  opening  of  a  sheep- 
fold;  a  process  which  is  said  to  produce  in  the  culprit  a 
species  of  surfeit  on  the  subject  of  mutton,  forever  after. 
By  the  time  Paul  and  the  trapper  saw  fit  to  terminate  the 
fresh  bursts  of  merriment  which  the  continued  abstraction 
of  their  learned  companion  did  not  fail  to  excite,  he  com 
menced  breathing  again,  as  if  the  suspended  action  of  the 
lungs  had  been  renewed  by  the  application  of  a  pair  of 
artificial  bellows,  and  was  heard  to  make  use  of  the  ever 


232  THE   PRAIRIE 

afterwards  proscribed  term,  on  that  solitary  occasion  to 
which  we  have  just  alluded. 

"Boves  Americani  horridi!"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  lay 
ing  great  stress  on  the  latter  word;  after  which  he  con 
tinued  mute,  like  one  who  pondered  on  strange  and  unac 
countable  events. 

"'Ay,  horrid  eyes  enough,  I  will  willingly  allow,"  re 
turned  the  trapper;  "and  altogether  the  creatur'  has  a 
frightful  look,  to  one  unused  to  the  sights  and  bustle  of  a 
natural  life;  but  then  the  courage  of  the  beast  is  in  no 
way  equal  to  its  countenance.  Lord,  man,  if  you  should 
once  get  fairly  beset  by  a  brood  of  grizzly  bears,  as  hap 
pened  to  Hector  and  I,  at  the  great  falls  of  the  Miss — 
Ah,  here  comes  the  tail  of  the  herd,  and  yonder  goes  a 
pack  of  hungry  wolves,  ready  to  pick  up  the  sick,  or  such 
as  get  a  disjointed  neck  by  a  tumble.  Ha!  there  are 
mounted  men  on  their  trail,  or  I'm  no  sinner!  here,  lad; 
you  may  see  them  here-away,  just  where  the  dust  is  scat 
tering  afore  the  wind.  They  are  hovering  around  a 
wounded  buffalo,  making  an  end  of  the  surly  devil  with 
their  arrows!" 

Middleton  and  Paul  soon  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  dark 
group  that  the  quick  eye  of  the  old  man  had  so  readily 
detected.  Some  fifteen  or  twenty  horsemen  were  in  truth, 
to  be  seen  riding,  in  quick  circuits,  about  a  noble  bull 
which  stood  at  bay,  too  grievously  hurt  to  fly,  and  yet 
seeming  to  disdain  to  fall,  notwithstanding  his  hardy 
body  had  already  been  the  target  for  a  hundred  arrows. 
A  thrust  from  the  lance  of  a  powerful  Indian,  however, 
completed  his  conquest,  and  the  brute  gave  up  his  obstinate 
hold  of  life  with  a  roar  that  passed  bellowing  over  the 
place  where  our  adventurers  stood,  and  reaching  the  ears 
of  the  affrighted  herd,  added  a  new  impulse  to  their  flight. 

"How  well  the  Pawnee  knew  the  philosophy  of  a  buffalo 
hunt!"  said  the  old  man,  after  he  had  stood  regarding  the 
animated  scene  for  a  few  moments  with  evident  satisfac 
tion.  "You  saw  how  he  went  off  like  the  wind  afore  the 
drove.  It  was  in  order  that  he  might  not  taint  the  air, 
and  that  he  might  turn  the  flank  and  join — Ha!  how  is 
this!  yonder  red-skins  are  no  Pawnees!  The  feathers  in 
their  heads  are  from  the  wings  and  tails  of  owls.  Ah!  as 


THE   PRAIRIE  233 

I  am  but  a  miserable  half-sighted  trapper,  it  is  a  band  of 
the  accursed  Sioux!  To  cover,  lads,  to  cover.  A  single 
cast  of  an  eye  this-away  would  strip  us  of  every  rag  of 
clothes,  as  surely  as  the  lightning  scorches  the  bush,  and 
it  might  be  that  our  very  lives  would  be  far  from  safe." 

Middleton  had  already  turned  from  the  spectacle  to  seek 
that  which  pleased  him  better— the  sight  of  his  young  and 
beautiful  bride.  Paul  seized  the  Doctor  by  the  arm;  and, 
as  the  trapper  followed  with  the  smallest  possible  delay, 
the  whole  party  was  quickly  collected  within  the  cover  of 
the  thicket.  After  a  few  short  explanations  concerning 
the  character  of  this  new  danger,  the  old  man,  on  whom 
the  whole  duty  of  directing  their  movements  was  devolved 
in  deference  to  his  great  experience,  continued  his  dis 
course  as  follows: 

"This  is  a  region,  as  you  must  all  know,  where  a  strong 
arm  is  far  better  than  the  right,  and  where  the  white  law 
is  as  little  known  as  needed.  Therefore  does  everything 
now  depend  on  judgment  and  power.  If,"  he  continued, 
laying  his  finger  on  his  cheek,  like  one  who  considered 
deeply  all  sides  of  the  embarrassing  situation  in  which  he 
found  himself,  "if  an  invention  could  be  framed  which 
would  set  those  Sioux  and  the  brood  of  the  squatter  by 
the  ears,  then  might  we  come  in,  like  the  buzzards  after 
a  fight  atween  the  beasts,  and  pick  up  the  gleanings  of  the 
ground;  there  are  Pawnees  nigh  us,  too!  It  is  a  certain 
matter,  for  yonder  lad  is  not  so  far  from  his  village  with 
out  an  errand.  Here  are,  therefore,  four  parties  within 
sound  of  a  cannon,  not  one  of  whom  can  trust  the  other. 
All  which  makes  movement  a  little  difficult  in  a  district 
where  covers  are  far  from  plenty.  But  we  are  three 
well-armed,  and  I  think  I  may  say  three  stout-hearted 
men — 

"Four,"  interrupted  Paul. 

"Anan!"  said  the  old  man,  looking  up  simply  at  his 
companion. 

"Four,"  repeated  the  bee-hunter,  pointing  to  the  nat 
uralist. 

"Every  army  has  its  hangers-on  and  idlers,"  rejoined 
the  blunt  border-man.  "Friend,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
slaughter  this  ass. ' ' 


234  THE   PRAIRIE 

"To  slay  Asinus!  such  a  deed  would  be  an  act  of  super 
erogatory  cruelty." 

"I  know  nothing  of  your  words,  which  hide  their  mean 
ing  in  sound;  but  that  is  cruel  which  sacrifices  a  Christian 
to  a  brute.  This  is  what  I  call  the  reason  of  mercy.  It 
would  be  just  as  safe  to  blow  a  trumpet  as  to  let  the  ani 
mal  raise  his  voice  again,  inasmuch  as  it  would  prove  a 
manifest  challenge  to  the  Sioux." 

"I  will  answer  for  the  discretion  of  Asinus,  who  seldom 
speaks  without  a  reason." 

"They  say  a  man  can  be  known  by  the  company  he 
keeps,"  retorted  the  old  man,  "and  why  not  a  brute?  I 
once  made  a  forced  march,  and  went  through  a  great  deal 
of  jeopardy,  with  a  companion  who  never  opened  his  mouth 
but  to  sing;  and  trouble  enough  and  great  concern  of 
mind  did  the  fellow  give  me.  It  was  in  that  very  business 
with  your  gran'ther,  captain.  But  then  he  had  a  human 
throat,  and  well  did  he  know  how  to  use  it,  on  occasion, 
though  he  didn't  always  stop  to  regard  the  time  and  sea 
sons  fit  for  such  outcries.  Ah's  me!  if  I  was  now  as  I 
was  then,  it  wouldn't  be  a  band  of  thieving  Sioux  that 
should  easily  drive  me  from  such  a  lodgment  as  this!  But 
what  signifies  boasting  when  sight  and  strength  are  both 
failing.  The  warrior  that  the  Delawares  once  saw  fit  to 
call  after  the  hawk  for  the  goodness  of  his  eyes,  would 
now  be  better  termed  the  Mole!  In  my  judgment,  there 
fore,  it  will  be  well  to  slay  the  brute." 

"There's  argument  and  good  logic  in  it,"  said  Paul; 
"music  is  music,  and  it's  always  noisy,  whether  it  comes 
from  a  fiddle  or  a  jackass.  Therefore  I  agree  with  the 
old  man,  and  say,  Kill  the  beast." 

"Friends,"  said  the  naturalist,  looking  with  a  sorrow 
ful  eye  from  one  to  another  of  his  bloodily  disposed  com 
panions,  "slay  not  Asinus;  he  is  a  specimen  of  his  kind 
of  whom  much  good  and  little  evil  can  be  said.  Hardy 
and  docile  for  his  genus;  abstemious  and  patient  even  for 
his  humble  species.  We  have  journeyed  much  together, 
and  his  death  would  grieve  me.  How  would  it  trouble 
thy  spirit,  venerable  venator,  to  separate  in  such  an  un 
timely  manner  from  your  faithful  hound?" 

"The  animal  shall  not  die,"  said  the  old  man,  suddenly 


THE   PRAIRIE  235 

clearing  his  throat  in  a  manner  that  proved  he  felt  the 
force  of  the  appeal;  "but  his  voice  must  be  smothered. 
Bind  his  jaws  with  the  halter,  and  then  I  think  we  may 
trust  the  rest  to  Providence. ' ' 

With  this  double  security  for  the  discretion  of  Asinus, 
for  Paul  instantly  bound  the  muzzle  of  the  ass  in  the  man 
ner  required,  the  trapper  seemed  content.  After  which 
he  proceeded  to  the  margin  of  the  thicket  to  reconnoiter. 

The  uproar  which  attended  the  passage  of  the  herd  was 
now  gone,  or  rather  it  was  heard  rolling  along  the  prairie, 
at  the  distance  of  a  mile.  The  clouds  of  dust  were  already 
blown  away  by  the  wind,  and  a  clear  range  was  left  to  the 
eye  in  that  place  where  ten  minutes  before  there  existed 
a  scene  of  so  much  wildness  and  confusion. 

The  Sioux  had  completed  their  conquest,  and,  apparently 
satisfied  with  this  addition  to  the  numerous  previous  cap 
tures  they  had  made,  they  now  seemed  content  to  let  the 
remainder  of  the  herd  escape.  A  dozen  remained  around 
the  carcass,  over  which  a  few  buzzards  were  balancing 
themselves  with  steady  wings  and  greedy  eyes,  while  the 
rest  were  riding  about  in  quest  of  such  further  booty  as 
might  come  in  their  way  on  the  trail  of  so  vast  a  drove. 
The  trapper  measured  the  proportions  and  scanned  the 
equipments  of  such  individuals  as  drew  nearer  to  the  side 
of  the  thicket  with  careful  eyes.  At  length  he  pointed 
out  one  among  them  to  Middleton  as  Weucha. 

'  'Now  know  we  not  only  who  they  are,  but  their  errand, ' ' 
the  old  man  continued,   deliberately  shaking  his  head. 
"They  have  lost  the  trail  of  the  squatter,  and  are  on  its 
hunt.     These  buffaloes  have  crossed  their  path,  and  in 
chasing  the  animals,  bad  luck  has  led  them  in  open  sight 
of  the  hill  on  which  the  brood  of  Ishmael  have^harbored. 
Do  you  see  yon  birds  watching  for  the  offals  of  the  beast 
they  have  killed?     Therein  is  a  moral  which  teaches 
manner  of  a  prairie  life.     A  band  of  Pawnees  are  outlying 
for  these  very  Sioux,  as  you  see  the  buzzards  looking  down 
for  their  food;  and  it  behooves  us,  as  Christian  men  who 
have  so  much  at  stake,  to  look  down  upon  them  both.^ 
what  brings  yonder  two  skirting  reptiles  to  a  stand? 
you  live  they  have  found  the  place  where  the  miserabl 
son  of  the  squatter  met  his  death!" 


236  THE   PRAIRIE 

"The  old  man  was  not  mistaken.  Weucha,  and  a  savage 
who  accompanied  him,  had  reached  that  spot  which  has 
already  been  mentioned  as  furnishing  the  frightful  evi 
dences  of  violence  and  bloodshed.  There  they  sat  on  their 
horses,  examining  the  well-known  signs  with  the  intelli 
gence  that  distinguishes  the  habits  of  Indians.  Their 
scrutiny  was  long,  and  apparently  not  without  distrust. 
At  length  they  raised  a  cry  that  was  scarcely  less  piteous 
and  startling  than  that  which  the  hounds  had  before 
made  over  the  same  fatal  signs,  and  which  did  not  fail  to 
draw  the  whole  band  immediately  around  them,  as  the 
fell  bark  of  the  jackal  is  said  to  gather  his  comrades  to 
the  chase. 


CHAPTER  XX 

"Welcome,  ancient  Pistol." 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

IT  was  not  long  before  the  trapper  pointed  out  the  com 
manding  person  of  Mahtoree  as  the  leader  of  the  Sioux. 
This  chief,  who  had  been  among  the  last  to  obey  the  voci 
ferous  summons  of  Weucha,  no  sooner  reached  the  spot 
where  his  whole  party  was  now  gathered,  than  he  threw 
himself  from  his  horse,  and  proceeded  to  examine  the 
marks  of  the  extraordinary  trail  with  that  degree  of  dig 
nity  and  attention  which  became  his  high  and  responsible 
station.  The  warriors,  for  it  was  but  too  evident  that 
they  were  to  a  man  of  that  fearless  and  ruthless  class, 
awaited  the  result  of  his  investigation  with  patient  re 
serve;  none  but  a  few  of  the  principal  braves  presuming 
even  to  speak  while  their  leader  was  thus  gravely  occupied. 
It  was  several  minutes  before  Mahtoree  seemed  satisfied. 
He  then  directed  his  eyes  along  the  ground  to  those  several 
places  where  Ishmael  had  found  the  same  revolting  evi 
dences  of  the  passage  of  some  bloody  struggle,  and  mo 
tioned  to  his  people  to  follow. 

The  whole  band  advanced  in  a  body  towards  the  thicket, 
until  they  came  to  a  halt  within  a  few  yards  of  the  precise 
spot  where  Esther  had  stimulated  her  sluggish  sons  to 
break  into  the  cover.  The  reader  will  readily  imagine 
that  the  trapper  and  his  companions  were  not  indifferent 
observers  of  so  threatening  a  movement.  The  old  man 
summoned  all  who  were  capable  of  bearing  arms  to  his 
side,  and  demanded  in  very  unequivocal  terms,  though  in 
a  voice  that  was  suitably  lowered  in  order  to  escape  the  ears 
of  their  dangerous  neighbors,  whether  they  were  disposed 
to  make  battle  for  their  liberty  or  whether  they  should 
try  the  milder  expedient  of  conciliation.  As  it  was  a  sub 
ject  in  which  all  had  an  equal  interest,  he  put  the  question 
as  to  a  council  of  war,  and  not  without  some  slight  exhi- 

237 


238  THE   PRAIRIE 

bition  of  the  lingering  vestiges  of  a  nearly  extinct  mili 
tary  pride.  Paul  and  the  Doctor  were  diametrically 
opposed  to  each  other  in  opinion;  the  former  declaring 
for  an  immediate  appeal  to  arms,  and  the  latter  as  warmly 
espousing  the  policy  of  pacific  measures.  Middleton,  who 
saw  that  there  was  great  danger  of  a  hot  verbal  dispute 
between  two  men  who  were  governed  by  feelings  so  dia 
metrically  opposed,  saw  fit  to  assume  the  office  of  arbiter; 
or  rather  to  decide  the  question,  his  situation  making 
him  a  sort  of  umpire.  He  also  leaned  to  the  side  of  peace, 
for  he  evidently  saw  that  in  consequence  of  the  vast  supe 
riority  of  their  enemies,  violence  would  irretrievably  lead 
to  their  destruction. 

The  trapper  listened  to  the  reasons  of  the  young  soldier 
with  great  attention;  and  as  they  were  given  with  the 
steadiness  of  one  who  did  not  suffer  apprehension  to  blind 
his  judgment,  they  did  not  fail  to  produce  a  suitable  im 
pression. 

"It  is  rational,"  rejoined  the  trapper,  when  the  other 
had  delivered  his  reasons;  "it  is  very  rational,  for  what 
man  cannot  move  with  his  strength  he  must  circumvent 
with  his  wits.  It  is  reason  that  makes  him  stronger  than 
the  buffalo  and  swifter  than  the  moose.  Now  stay  you 
here,  and  keep  yourselves  close.  My  life  and  my  traps 
are  but  of  little  value,  when  the  welfare  of  so  many  human 
souls  is  concerned;  and  moreover,  I  may  say  that  I  know 
the  windings  of  Indian  cunning.  Therefore  will  I  go 
alone  upon  the  prairie.  It  may  so  happen  that  I  can  yet 
draw  the  eyes  of  a  Sioux  from  this  spot,  and  give  you  time 
and  room  to  fly." 

As  if  resolved  to  listen  to  no  remonstrance,  the  old  man 
quietly  shouldered  his  rifle,  and  moving  leisurely  through 
the  thicket,  he  issued  on  the  plain  at  a  point  whence  he 
might  first  appear  before  the  eyes  of  the  Sioux  without 
exciting  their  suspicions  that  he  came  from  its  cover. 

The  instant  that  the  figure  of  a  man  dressed  in  the  garb 
of  a  hunter,  and  bearing  the  well-known  and  much  dreaded 
rifle,  appeared  before  the  eyes  of  the  Sioux,  there  was  a 
sensible  though  a  suppressed  sensation  in  the  band.  The 
artifice  of  the  trapper  had  so  far  succeeded  as  to  render  it 
extremely  doubtful  whether  he  came  from  some  point  on 


THE   PRAIRIE  239 

the  open  prairie  or  from  the  thicket;  though  the  Indians 
still  continued  to  cast  frequent  and  suspicious  glances  at 
the  cover.  They  had  made  their  halt  at  the  distance  of  an 
arrow-flight  from  the  bushes;  but  when  the  stranger  came 
sufficiently  nigh  to  show  that  the  deep  coating  of  red  and 
brown  which  time  and  exposure  had  given  to  his  features, 
was  laid  upon  the  original  color  of  a  pale  face,  they 
slowly  receded  from  the  spot,  until  they  reached  a  distance 
that  might  defeat  the  aim  of  firearms. 

In  the  meantime  the  old  man  continued  to  advance, 
until  he  had  got  nigh  enough  to  make  himself  heard  with 
out  difficulty.  Here  he  stopped,  and  dropping  his  rifle 
to  the  earth,  he  raised  his  hand  with  the  palm  outward, 
in  token  of  peace.  After  uttering  a  few  words  of  reproach 
to  his  hound,  who  watched  the  savage  group  with  eyes 
that  seemed  to  recognize  them,  he  spoke  in  the  Sioux 
tongue. 

"My  brothers  are  welcome,"  he  said,  cunningly  con 
stituting  himself  the  master  of  the  region  in  which  they 
had  met,  and  assuming  the  offices  of  hospitality.  "They 
are  far  from  their  villages,  and  are  hungry.  Will  they 
follow  to  my  lodge,  to  eat  and  sleep?" 

No  sooner  was  his  voice  heard,  than  the  yell  of  pleasure 
which  burst  from  a  dozen  mouths,  convinced  the  sagacious 
trapper  that  he  also  was  recognized.  Feeling  that  it  was 
too  late  to  retreat,  he  profited  by  the  confusion  which 
prevailed  among  them,  while  Weucha  was  explaining  his 
character,  to  advance,  until  he  was  again  face  to  face 
with  the  redoubtable  Mahtoree.  The  second  interview 
between  these  two  men,  each  of  whom  was  extraordinary 
in  his  way,  was  marked  by  the  usual  caution  of  the  fron 
tiers.  They  stood,  for  nearly  a  mniute,  examining  each 
other  without  speaking. 

"Where  are  your  young  men?"  demanded  the  Teton 
chieftain,  after  he  found  that  the  immovable  features  of 
the  trapper  refused  to  betray  any  of  their  master's 
secrets,  under  his  intimidating  look. 

"The  Long-knives  do  not  come  in  bands  to  trap  the 
beaver.  I  am  alone." 

"Your  head  is  white,  but  you  have  a  forked  tongue. 
Mahtoree  has  been  in  your  camp.  He  knows  that  you  are 


240  THE   PRAIRIE 

not  alone.     Where  is  your  young  wife,  and  the  warrior 
that  I  found  upon  the  prairie?" 

"I  have  no  wife.  I  have  told  my  brother  that  the 
woman  and  her  friend  were  strangers.  The  words  of  a 
gray  head  should  be  heard,  and  not  forgotten.  The  Dah- 
cotahs  found  travelers  asleep,  and  they  thought  they  had 
no  need  of  horses.  The  women  and  children  of  a  pale 
face  are  not  used  to  go  far  on  foot.  Let  them  be  sought 
where  you  left  them." 

The  eyes  of  the  Teton  flashed  fire  as  he  answered : 

"They  are  gone:  but  Mahtoree  is  a  wise  chief,  and  his 
eyes  can  see  a  great  distance!" 

"Does  the  partisan  of  the  Tetons  see  men  on  these  naked 
fields?"  retorted  the  trapper,  with  great  steadiness  of 
mien.  "I  am  very  old,  and  my  eyes  grow  dim.  Where  do 
they  stand?" 

The  chief  remained  silent  a  moment,  as  if  he  disdained 
to  contest  any  further  the  truth  of  a  fact  concerning  which 
he  was  already  satisfied.  Then  pointing  to  the  traces  on 
the  earth,  he  said,  with  a  sudden  transition  to  mildness 
in  his  eye  and  manner: 

"My  father  has  learnt  wisdom,  in  many  winters;  can 
he  tell  me  whose  moccasin  has  left  this  trail?" 

"There  have  been  wolves  and  buffaloes  on  the  prairies; 
and  there  may  have  been  cougars,  too." 

Mahtoree  glanced  his  eye  at  the  thicket,  as  if  he  thought 
the  latter  suggestion  not  impossible.  Pointing  to  the 
place,  he  ordered  his  young  men  to  reconnoiter  it  more 
closely,  cautioning  them  at  the  same  time,  with  a  stern 
look  at  the  trapper,  to  beware  of  treachery  from  the  Big- 
knives.  Three  or  four  half-naked,  eager-looking  youths 
lashed  their  horses  at  the  word,  and  darted  away  to  obey 
the  mandate.  The  old  man  trembled  a  little  for  the  dis 
cretion  of  Paul,  when  he  saw  this  demonstration.  The 
Tetons  encircled  the  place  two  or  three  times,  approaching 
nigher  and  nigher  at  each  circuit,  and  then  galloped  back 
to  their  leader  to  report  that  the  copse  seemed  empty. 
Notwithstanding  the  trapper  watched  the  eye  of  Mahtoree, 
to  detect  the  inward  movements  of  his  mind,  and  if  pos 
sible  to  anticipate,  in  order  to  direct  his  suspicions,  the 
utmost  sagacity  of  one  so  long  accustomed  to  study  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  241 

cold  habits  of  the  Indian  race  could,  however,  detect  no 
symptom,  or  expression,  that  denoted  how  far  he  credited 
or  distrusted  this  intelligence.  Instead  of  replying  to  the 
information  of  his  scouts,  he  spoke  kindly  to  his  horse, 
and  motioning  to  a  youth  to  receive  the  bridle,  or  rather 
halter,  by  which  he  governed  the  animal,  he  took  the 
trapper  by  the  arm,  and  led  him  a  little  apart  from  the 
rest  of  the  band. 

"Has  my  brother  been  a  warrior?"  said  the  wily  Teton, 
in  a  tone  that  he  intended  should  be  conciliating. 

"Do  the  leaves  cover  the  trees  in  the  season  of  fruits? 
Go;  tha  Dahcotahs  have  not  seen  as  many  warriors  living 
as  I  have  looked  on  in  their  blood !  But  what  signifies  idle 
remembrancing, "  he  added,  in  English,  "when  limbs 
grow  stiff,  and  sight  is  failing!" 

The  chief  regarded  him  a  moment  with  a  severe  look, 
as  if  he  would  lay  bare  the  falsehood  he  had  heard;  but 
meeting  in  the  calm  eye  and  steady  mien  of  the  trapper  a 
confirmation  of  the  truth  of  what  he  said,  he  took  the  hand 
of  the  old  man,  and  laid  it  gently  on  his  head,  in  token  of 
the  respect  that  was  due  to  the  other's  years  and  experience. 

"Why  then  do  the  Big-knives  tell  their  red  brethren  to 
bury  the  tomahawk,"  he  said,  "when  their  own  young 
men  never  forget  that  they  are  braves,  and  meet  each  other 
so  often  with  bloody  hands?" 

"My  nation  is  more  numerous  than  the  buffaloes  on  the 
prairies  or  the  pigeons  in  the  air.  Their  quarrels  are 
frequent;  yet  their  warriors  are  few.  None  go  out  on  the 
war-path  but  they  who  are  gifted  with  the  qualities  of  a 
brave,  and  therefore  such  see  many  battles. ' ' 

"It  is  not  so — my  father  is  mistaken,"  returned  Mah- 
toree,  indulging  in  a  smile  of  exulting  penetration  at  the 
very  instant  he  corrected  the  force  of  his  denial  in  defer 
ence  to  the  years  and  service  of  one  so  aged.  "The  Big- 
knives  are  very  wise,  and  they  are  men;  all  of  them  would 
be  warriors.  They  would  leave  the  red-skins  to  dig  roots 
and  hoe  the  corn.  But  a  Dahcotah  is  not  born  to  live  like 
a  woman;  he  must  strike  the  Pawnee  and  theOmahaw,  or 
he  will  lose  the  name  of  his  fathers." 

"The  Master  of  Life  looks  with  open  eye  on  his  children 
who  die  in  a  battle  that  is  fought  for  t.b*  riprht: 
16 


242  THE   PRAIRIE 

is  blind  and  his  ears  are  shut  to  the  cries  of  an  Indian 
who  is  killed  when  plundering  or  doing  evil  to  his 
neighbor. ' ' 

"My  father  is  old,"  said  Mahtoree,  looking  at  his  aged 
companion  with  an  expression  of  irony  that  sufficiently 
denoted  he  was  one  of  those  who  overstep  the  trammels  of 
education,  and  who  are  perhaps  a  little  given  to  abuse  the 
mental  liberty  they  thus  obtain.  "He  is  very  old:  has 
he  made  a  journey  to  the  far  country;  and  has  he  been  at 
the  trouble  to  come  back  to  tell  the  young  men  what  he 
has  seen?" 

"Teton,"  returned  the  trapper,  throwing  the  breech  of 
his  rifle  to  the  earth  with  startling  vehemence,  and  regard 
ing  his  companion  with  steady  serenity,  "I  have  heard 
that  there  are  men  among  my  people  who  study  their 
great  medicines  until  they  believe  themselves  to  be  gods, 
and  who  laugh  at  all  faith  except  in  their  own  vanities. 
It  may  be  true.  It  is  true;  for  I  have  seen  them.  When 
man  is  shut  up  in  towns  and  schools  with  his  own  follies, 
it  may  be  easy  to  believe  himself  greater  than  the  Master 
of  Life;  but  a  warrior  who  lives  in  a  house  with  the  clouds 
for  its  roof,  where  he  can  at  any  moment  look  both  at  the 
heavens  and  at  the  earth,  and  who  daily  sees  the  power  of 
the  Great  Spirit,  should  be  more  humble.  A  Dahcotah 
chieftain  ought  to  be  too  wise  to  laugh  at  justice." 

The  crafty  Mahtoree,  who  saw  that  his  free-thinking 
was  not  likely  to  produce  a  favorable  impression  on  the 
old  man,  instantly  changed  his  ground,  by  alluding  to  the 
more  immediate  subject  of  their  interview.  Laying  his 
hand  gently  on  the  shoulder  of  the  trapper,  he  led  him 
forward  until  they  both  stood  within  fifty  feet  of  the  mar 
gin  of  the  thicket.  Here  he  fastened  his  penetrating  eyes 
on  the  other's  honest  countenance,  and  continued  the 
discourse. 

"If  my  father  has  hid  his  young  men  in  the  bush,  let 
him  tell  them  to  come  forth.  You  see  that  a  Dahcotah  is 
not  afraid.  Mahtoree  is  a  great  chief!  A  warrior  whose 
head  is  white,  and  who  is  about  to  go  to  the  Land  of 
Spirits,  cannot  have  a  tongue  with  two  ends,  like  a  ser 
pent." 

"Dahcotah,  I  have  told  no  lie.     Since  the  Great  Spirit 


THE   PRAIRIE  243 

made  me  a  man  I  have  lived  in  the  wilderness,  or  on  these 
naked  plains,  without  lodge  or  family.  I  am  a  hunter, 
and  go  on  my  path  alone." 

"My  father  has  a  good  carabin.  Let  him  point  it  in 
the  bush  and  fire." 

The  old  man  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  slowly  pre 
pared  himself  to  give  this  delicate  assurance  of  the  truth 
of  what  he  said,  without  which  he  plainly  perceived  the 
suspicions  if  his  crafty  companion  could  not  be  lulled.  As 
he  lowered  his  rifle,  his  eye,  although  greatly  dimmed  and 
weakened  by  age,  ran  over  the  confused  collection  of  ob 
jects  that  lay  imbedded  amid  the  partly  colored  foliage  of 
the  thicket,  until  it  succeeded  in  catching  a  glimpse  of 
the  brown  covering  of  the  stem  of  a  small  tree.  With  this 
object  in  view,  he  raised  the  piece  to  a  level  and  fired. 
The  bullet  had  no  sooner  glided  from  the  barrel  than  a 
tremor  seized  the  hands  of  the  trapper,  which,  had  it  oc 
curred  a  moment  sooner,  would  have  utterly  disqualified 
him  for  so  hazardous  an  experiment.  A  frightful  silence 
succeeded  the  report,  during  which  he  expected  to  hear 
the  shrieks  of  the  females;  and  then,  as  the  smoke  whirled 
away  in  the  wind,  he  caught  a  view  of  the  fluttering 
bark,  and  felt  assured  that  all  his  former  ski  11  was  not  en 
tirely  departed  from  him.  Dropping  the  piece  to  the 
earth,  he  turned  again  to  his  companion  with  an  air  of 
the  utmost  composure,  and  demanded: 

"Is  my  brother  satisfied?" 

"Mahtoree  is  a  chief  of  the  Dahcotahs,"  returned  the 
cunning  Teton,  laying  his  hand  on  his  chest,  in  acknowl 
edgment  of  the  other's  sincerity.  "He  knows  that  a  war 
rior  who  has  smoked  at  so  many  council-fires,  until  his 
head  has  grown  white,  would  not  be  found  in  wicked  com 
pany.  But  did  not  my  father  once  ride  on  a  horse,  like  a 
rich  chief  of  the  pale  faces,  instead  of  traveling  on  foot 
like  a  hungry  Konza?" 

"Never!  The  Wahcondah  has  given  me  legs,  and  he 
has  given  me  resolution  to  use  them.  For  sixty  summers 
and  winters  did  I  journey  in  the  woods  of  America,  and 
ten  tiresome  years  have  I  dwelt  on  these  open  fields,  with 
out  finding  need  to  call  often  upon  the  gifts  of  the  other 
creaturs  of  the  Lord  to  carry  me  from  place  to  place. 


244  THE   PRAIRIE 

"If  my  father  has  so  long  lived  in  the  shade,  why  has  he 
come  upon  the  prairies?  The  sun  will  scorch  him." 

The  old  man  looked  sorrowfully  about  for  a  moment, 
and  then,  turning  with  a  confidential  air  to  the  other,  he 
replied: 

"I  passed  the  spring,  summer,  and  autumn  of  life 
among  the  trees.  The  winter  of  my  days  had  come,  and 
found  me  where  I  loved  to  be,  in  the  quiet — ay,  and  in  the 
honesty  of  the  woods!  Teton,  then  I  slept  happily,  where 
my  eyes  could  look  up  through  the  branches  of  the  pines 
and  the  beeches,  to  the  very  dwelling  of  the  Good  Spirit 
of  my  people.  If  I  had  need  to  open  my  heart  to  Him, 
while  his  fires  were  burning  above  my  head,  the  door  was 
open  and  before  my  eyes.  But  the  axes  of  the  choppers 
awoke  me.  For  a  long  time  my  ears  heard  nothing  but 
the  uproar  of  clearings.  I  bore  it  like  a  warrior  and  a 
man;  there  was  reason  that  I  should  bear  it:  but  when 
that  reason  was  ended,  I  bethought  me  to  get  beyond  the 
accursed  sounds.  It  was  trying  to  the  courage  and  to  the 
habits,  but  I  had  heard  of  these  vast  and  naked  fields,  and 
I  came  hither  to  escape  the  wasteful  temper  of  my  people. 
Tell  me,  Dahcotah,  have  I  done  well?" 

The  trapper  laid  his  long,  lean  finger  on  the  naked 
shoulder  of  the  Indian  as  he  ended,  and  seemed  to  demand 
his  felicitations  on  his  ingenuity  and  success,  with  a 
ghastly  smile,  in  which  triumph  was  singularly  blended 
with  regret.  His  companion  listened  intently,  and  replied 
to  the  question  by  saying,  in  the  sententious  manner  of 
his  race: 

"The  head  of  my  father  is  very  gray;  he  has  always 
lived  with  men,  and  he  has  seen  everything.  What  he 
does  is  good;  what  he  speaks  is  wise.  Now  let  him  say, 
is  he  sure  that  he  is  a  stranger  to  the  Big-knives,  who  are 
looking  for  their  beasts  on  every  side  of  the  prairies  and 
cannot  find  them?" 

"Dahcotah,  what  I  have  said  is  true.  I  live  alone,  and 
never  do  I  mingle  with  men  whose  skins  are  white,  if — 

His  mouth  was  suddenly  closed  by  an  interruption  that 
was  as  mortifying  as  it  was  unexpected.  The  words  were 
still  on  his  tongue,  when  the  bushes  on  the  side  of  the 
thicket  where  they  stood  opened,  and  the  whole  of  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  245 

party  whom  he  had  just  left,  and  in  whose  behalf  he  was 
endeavoring1  to  reconcile  his  love  of  truth  to  the  necessity 
of  prevaricating,  came  openly  into'view.  A  pause  of  mute 
astonishment  succeeded  this  unlooked-for  spectacle.  Then 
Mahtoree,  who  did  not  suffer  a  muscle  or  a  joint  to  betray 
the  wonder  and  surprise  he  actually  experienced,  motioned 
towards  the  advancing  friends  of  the  trapper  with  an  air 
of  assumed  civility,  and  a  smile  that  lighted  his  fierce, 
dark  visage,  as  the  glare  of  the  setting  sun  reveals  the 
volume  and  load  of  the  cloud,  that  is  charged  to  bursting 
with  the  electric  fluid.  He,  however,  disdained  to  speak, 
or  to  give  any  other  evidence  of  his  intentions  than  by 
calling  to  his  side  the  distant  band,  who  sprang  forward 
at  his  beck,  with  the  alacrity  of  willing  subordinates. 

In  the  meantime  the  friends  of  the  old  man  continued 
to  advance.  Middleton  himself  was  foremost,  supporting 
the  light  and  aerial  looking  figure  of  Inez,  on  whose  anx 
ious  countenance  he  cast  such  occasional  glances  of  tender 
interest,  as,  in  similar  circumstances,  a  father  would  have 
given  to  his  child.  Paul  led  Ellen,  close  in  their  rear. 
But  while  the  eye  of  the  bee-hunter  did  not  neglect  his 
blooming  companion,  it  scowled  angrily,  resembling  more 
the  aspect  of  the  sullen  and  retreating  bear  than  the  soft 
intelligence  of  a  favored  suitor.  Obed  and  Asinus  came 
last,  the  former  leading  his  companion  with  a  degree  of 
fondness  that  could  hardly  be  said  to  be  exceeded  by  any 
other  of  the  party.  The  approach  of  the  naturalist  was 
far  less  rapid  than  that  of  those  who  preceded  him.  His 
feet  seemed  equally  reluctant  to  advance  or  to  remain  sta 
tionary;  his  position  bearing  a  great  analogy  to  that  of 
Mahomet's  coffin,  with  the  exception  that  the  quality 
of  repulsion  rather  than  that  of  attraction  held  him  in  a 
state  of  rest.  The  repulsive  power  in  his  rear,  however, 
appeared  to  predominate;  and  by  a  singular  exception,  as 
he  would  have  said  himself,  to  all  philosophical  principles, 
it  rather  increased  than  diminished  by  distance.  As  the 
eyes  of  the  naturalist  steadily  maintained  a  position  that 
was  the  opposite  of  his  route,  they  served  to  give  a  direc 
tion  to  those  of  the  observers  of  all  these  movements,  and 
at  once  furnished  a  sufficient  clue  by  which  to  unravel  the 
mystery  of  so  sudden  a  debouchement  from  the  cover. 


246  THE   PRAIRIE 

Another  cluster  of  stout  and  armed  men  was  seen  at  no 
great  distance,  just  rounding  a  point  of  the  thicket,  and 
moving  directly  though  cautiously  towards  the  place 
where  the  band  of  the  Sioux  was  posted,  as  a  squadron  of 
cruisers  is  often  seen  to  steer  across  the  waste  of  waters, 
towards  the  rich  but  well  protected  convoy.  In  short  the 
family  of  the  squatter  or  at  least  such  among  them  as 
were  capable  of  bearing  arms,  appeared  in  view,  on 
the  broad  prairie,  evidently  bent  on  revenging  their 
wrongs. 

Mahtoree  and  his  party  slowly  retired  from  the  thicket, 
the  moment  they  caught  a  view  of  the  strangers,  until 
they  halted  on  a  swell  that  commanded  a  wide  and  unob 
structed  view  of  the  naked  fields  on  which  they  stood. 
Here  the  Dahcotah  appeared  disposed  to  make  his  stand, 
and  to  bring  matters  to  an  issue.  Notwithstanding  this 
retreat,  in  which  he  compelled  the  trapper  to  accompany 
him,  Middleton  still  advanced  until  he  too  halted  on  the 
same  elevation,  and  within  speaking  distance  of  the  war 
like  Sioux.  The  borderers  in  their  turn  took  a  favorable 
position,  though  at  a  much  greater  distance.  The  three 
groups  now  resembled  so  many  fleets  at  sea,  lying  with 
their  topsails  to  the  masts,  with  the  commendable  precau 
tion  of  reconnoitering  before  each  could  ascertain  who 
among  the  strangers  might  be  considered  as  friends  and 
who  as  foes. 

During  this  moment  of  suspense,  the  dark,  threatening 
eye  of  Mahtoree  rolled  from  one  of  the  strange  parties  to 
the  other,  in  keen  and  hasty  examination,  and  then  it 
turned  its  withering  look  on  the  old  man,  as  the  chief 
said,  in  a  tone  of  high  and  bitter  scorn: 

"The  Big-knives  are  fools!  It  is  easier  to  catch  the 
cougar  asleep,  than  to  find  a  blind  Dahcotah.  Did  the 
white-head  think  to  ride  on  the  horse  of  a  Sioux?" 

The  trapper,  who  had  found  time  to  collect  his  perplexed 
faculties,  saw  at  once  that  Middleton,  having  perceived 
Ishmael  on  the  trail  by  which  they  had  fled,  preferred 
trusting  to  the  hospitality  of  the  savages,  than  to  the 
treatment  he  would  be  likely  to  receive  from  the  hands  of 
the  squatter.  He  therefore  disposed  himself  to  clear  the 
way  for  the  favorable  reception  of  his  friends,  since  he 


THE   PRAIRIE  247 

found  that  the  unnatural  coalition  became  necessary  to 
secure  the  liberty,  if  not  the  lives,  of  the  party. 

"Did  my  brother  ever  go  on  a  war-path  to  strike  my 
people?  he  calmly  demanded  of  the  indignant  chief  who 
still  awaited  his  reply. 

The  lowering  aspect  of  the  Teton  warrior  so  far  lost  its 
severity  as  to  suffer  a  gleam  of  pleasure  and  triumph  to 
lighten  its  ferocity,  as  sweeping  his  arm  in  an  entire 
circle  around  his  person,  he  answered: 

"What  tribe  or  nation  has  not  felt  the  blows  of  the 
Dahcotahs?  Mahtoree  is  their  partisan." 

"And  has  he  found  the  Big-knives  women,  or  has  he 
found  them  men?" 

A  multitude  of  fierce  passions  were  struggling  in  the 
tawny  countenance  of  the  Indian.  For  a  moment  inextin 
guishable  hatred  seemed  to  hold  the  mastery,  and  then  a 
nobler  expression,  and  one  that  better  became  the  char 
acter  of  a  brave,  got  possession  of  his  features,  and  main 
tained  itself  until,  first  throwing  aside  his  light  robe  of 
pictured  deerskin,  and  pointing  to  the  scar  of  a  bayonet 
in  his  breast,  he  replied: 

"It  was  given  as  it  was  taken,  face  to  face." 

"It  is  enough.  My  brother  is  a  brave  chief,  and  he 
should  be  wise.  Let  him  look:  is  that  a  warrior  of  the 
pale  faces?  Was  it  one  such  as  that  who  gave  the  great 
Dahcotah  his  hurt?" 

The  eyes  of  Mahtoree  followed  the  direction  of  the  old 
man's  extended  arm,  until  they  rested  on  the  drooping 
form  of  Inez.  The  look  of  the  Teton  was  long,  riveted  and 
admiring.  Like  that  of  the  young  Pawnee,  it  resembled 
more  the  gaze  of  a  mortal  on  some  heavenly  image,  than 
the  admiration  with  which  man  is  wont  to  contemplate 
ever  the  loveliness  of  woman.  Starting,  as  if  suddenly 
self-convicted  of  forgetfulness,  the  chief  next  turned  his 
eyes  on  Ellen,  where  they  lingered  an  instant  with  a  much 
more  intelligible  expression  of  admiration,  and  then  pur 
sued  their  course  until  they  had  taken  another  glance  at 
each  individual  of  the  party. 

"My  brother  sees  that  my  tongue  is  not  forked,"  con 
tinued  the  trapper,  watching  the  emotions  the  other  be 
trayed,  with  a  readiness  of  comprehension  little  inferior 


248  THE   PRAIRIE 

to  that  of  the  Teton  himself.  "The  Big-knives  do  not 
send  their  women  to  war.  I  know  that  the  Dahcotahs  will 
smoke  with  the  strangers." 

"Mahtoree  is  a  great  chief!  The  Big-knives  are  wel 
come,"  said  the  Teton,  laying  his  hand  on  his  breast  with 
an  air  of  lofty  politeness  that  would  have  done  credit  to 
any  state  of  society.  "The  arrows  of  my  young  men  are 
in  their  quivers." 

The  trapper  motioned  to  Middleton  to  approach,  and  in 
a  few  moments  the  two  parties  were  blended  in  one,  each 
of  the  males  having  exchanged  friendly  greetings,  after 
the  fashions  of  the  prairie  warriors.  But  even  while  en 
gaged  in  this  hospitable  manner,  the  Dahcotah  did  not 
fail  to  keep  a  strict  watch  on  the  more  distant  party  of 
white  men,  as  if  he  still  distrusted  an  artifice,  or  sought 
further  explanation.  The  old  man,  in  his  turn,  perceived 
the  necessity  of  being  more  explicit,  and  of  securing  the 
slight  and  equivocal  advantage  he  had  already  obtained. 
While  affecting  to  examine  the  group  which  still  lingered 
at  the  spot  where  it  had  first  halted,  as  if  to  discover  the 
characters  of  those  who  composed  it,  he  plainly  saw  that 
Ishmael  contemplated  immediate  hostilities.  The  result 
of  a  conflict  on  the  open  prairie  between  a  dozen  resolute 
border-men  and  the  half-armed  natives,  even  though  sec 
onded  by  their  white  allies,  was,  in  his  experienced  judg 
ment,  a  point  of  great  uncertainity;  and  though  far  from 
reluctant  to  engage  in  the  struggle  on  account  of  himself, 
the  aged  trapper  thought  it  far  more  worthy  of  his  years 
and  his  character,  to  avoid  than  to  court  the  contest.  His 
feelings  were,  for  obvious  reasons,  in  accordance  with  those 
of  Paul  and  Middleton,  who  had  lives  still  more  precious 
than  their  own  to  watch  over  and  protect.  In  this  dilemma 
the  three  consulted  on  the  means  of  escaping  the  frightful 
consequences  which  might  immediately  follow  a  single  act 
of  hostility  on  the  part  of  the  borderers;  the  old  man  tak 
ing  care  that  their  communication  should,  in  the  eyes  of 
those  who  noted  the  expression  of  their  countenances  with 
jealous  watchfulness,  bear  the  appearance  of  explanations 
as  to  the  reason  why  such  a  party  of  travelers  was  met  so 
far  in  the  deserts. 

"I  know  that    the    Dahcotahs  are  a  wise  and  great 


THE   PRAIRIE  249 

people,"  at  length  the  trapper  commenced,  again  address 
ing  himself  to  the  chief;  "but  does  not  their  partisan 
know  a  single  brother  who  is  base?" 

The  eye'of  Mahtoree  wandered  proudly  around  his  band, 
but  rested  a  moment  reluctantly  on  Weucha,  as  he  an 
swered,  "The  Master  of  Life  has  made  chiefs,  and  war 
riors,  and  women;"  conceiving  that  he  thus  embraced  all 
the  gradations  of  human  excellence  from  the  highest  to 
the  lowest. 

"And  he  has  also  made  pale  faces  who  are  wicked.  Such 
are  they  whom  my  brother  sees  yonder. ' ' 

"Do  they  go  on  foot  to  do  wrong?"  demanded  the 
Teton,  with  a  wild  gleam  from  his  eyes,  that  sufficiently 
betrayed  how  well  he  knew  the  reason  why  they  were 
reduced  to  so  humble  an  expedient. 

"Their  beasts  are  gone.  But  their  powder,  and  their 
lead,  and  their  blankets  remain." 

"Do  they  carry  their  riches  in  their  hands,  like  miser 
able  Konzas?  or  are  they  brave,  and  leave  them  with  the 
women,  as  men  should  do,  who  know  where  to  find  what 
they  lose?" 

"My  brother  sees  the  spot  of  blue  across  the  prairie; 
look,  the  sun  has  touched  it  for  the  last  time  to-day." 

"Mahtoree  is  not  a  mole." 

"It  is  a  rock;  on  it  are  the  goods  of  the  Big-knives." 

An  expression  of  savage  joy  shot  into  the  dark  counte 
nance  of  the  Teton  as  he  listened;  turning  to  the  old  man 
he  seemed  to  read  his  soul,  as  if  to  assure  himself  he  was 
not  deceived.  Then  he  bent  his  look  on  the  party  of 
Ishmael,  and  counted  its  number. 

"One  warrior  is  wanting,"  he  said. 

"Does  my  brother  see  the  buzzards?  there  is  his  grave. 
Did  he  find  blood  on  the  prairie?  It  was  his." 

"Enough !  Mahtoree  is  a  wise  chief.  Put  your  women 
on  the  horses  of  the  Dahcotahs ;  we  shall  see,  for  our  eyes 
are  open  very  wide." 

The  trapper  wasted  no  unnecessary  words  in  explana 
tion.  Familiar  with  the  brevity  and  promptitude  of  the 
natives,  he  immediately  communicated  the  result  to  his 
companions.  Paul  was  mounted  in  an  instant,  with  Ellen 
at  his  back.  A  few  more  moments  were  necessary  to 


250  THE   PRAIRIE 

assure  Middleton  of  the  security  and  ease  of  Inez.  While 
he  was  thus  engaged,  Mahtoree  advanced  to  the  side  of  the 
beast  he  had  allotted  to  this  service,  which  was  his  own, 
and  manifested  an  intention  to  occupy  his  customary  place 
on  its  back.  The  young  soldier  seized  the  reins  of  the 
animal,  and  glances  of  sudden  anger  and  lofty  pride  were 
exchanged  between  them. 

"No  man  takes  this  seat  but  myself,"  said  Middleton, 
sternly,  in  English. 

"Mahtoree  is  a  great  chief!"  retorted  the  savage; 
neither  comprehending  the  meaning  of  the  other's  words. 

"The  Dahcotah  will  be  too  late,"  whispered  the  old 
man  at  his  elbow;  "see;  the  Big-knives  are  afraid,  and 
they  will  soon  run." 

The  Teton  chief  instantly  abandoned  his  claim,  and 
threw  himself  on  another  horse,  directing  one  of  his  young 
men  to  furnish  a  similar  accommodation  for  the  trapper. 
The  warriors  who  were  dismounted,  got  up  behind  as  many 
of  their  companions.  Doctor  Battius  bestrode  Asinus; 
and,  notwithstanding  the  brief  interruption,  in  half  the 
time  we  have  taken  to  relate  it,  the  whole  party  was  pre 
pared  to  move. 

When  he  saw  that  all  were  ready,  Mahtoree  gave  the 
signal  to  advance.  A  few  of  the  best  mounted  of  the  war 
riors,  the  chief  himself  included,  moved  a  little  in  front, 
and  made  a  threatening  demonstration,  as  if  they  intended 
to  attack  the  strangers.  The  squatter,  who  was  in  truth 
slowly  retiring,  instantly  halted  his  party,  and  showed  a 
willing  front.  Instead,  however,  of  coming  within  reach 
of  the  dangerous  aim  of  the  Western  rifle,  the  subtle  sav 
ages  kept  wheeling  about  the  strangers  until  they  had 
made  a  half  circuit,  keeping  the  latter  in  constant  expec 
tation  of  an  assault.  Then,  perfectly  secure  of  their 
object,  the  Tetons  raised  a  loud  shout,  and  darted  across 
the  prairie  in  a  line  for  the  distant  rock,  with  the  direct 
ness  and  nearly  with  the  velocity  of  the  arrow  that  has  just 
been  shot  from  its  bow. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

"Dally  not  with  the  gods,  but  get  thee  gone." 

— SHAKESPEARE. 

MAHTOREE  had  scarcely  given  the  first  intimation  of  his 
real  design,  before  a  general  discharge  from  the  border 
ers  proved  how  well  they  understood  it.  The  distance, 
and  the  rapidity  of  the  flight,  however,  rendered  the  fire 
harmless.  As  a  proof  how  little  he  regarded  the  hostility 
of  their  party,  the  Dahcotah  chieftain  answered  the  report 
with  a  yell;  and,  flourishing  his  carabin  above  his  head, 
he  made  a  circuit  on  the  plain,  followed  by  his  chosen 
warriors,  in  scorn  of  the  impotent  attempt  of  his  enemies. 
As  the  main  body  continued  the  direct  course,  this  little 
band  of  the  elite,  in  returning  from  its  wild  exhibition 
of  savage  contempt,  took  its  place  in  the  rear,  with  a 
dexterity  and  a  concert  of  action  that  showed  the  maneuver 
had  been  contemplated. 

Volley  swiftly  succeeded  volley,  until  the  enraged  squat 
ter  was  reluctantly  compelled  to  abandon  the  idea  of 
injuring  his  enemies  by  means  so  feeble.  Relinquishing 
his  fruitless  attempt,  he  commenced  a  rapid  pursuit,  oc 
casionally  discharging  a  rifle  in  order  to  give  the  alarm 
to  the  garrison,  which  he  had  prudently  left  under  the 
command  of  the  redoubtable  Esther  herself.  In  this  man 
ner  the  chase  was  continued  for  many  minutes,  the  horse 
men  gradually  gaining  on  their  pursuers,  who  maintained 
the  race,  however,  with  an  incredible  power  of  foot. 

As  the  little  speck  of  blue  rose  against  the  heavens,  like 
an  island  issuing  from  the  deep,  the  savages  occasionally 
raised  a  yell  of  triumph.  But  the  mists  of  evening  were 
already  gathering  along  the  whole  of  the  eastern  margin 
of  the  prairie,  and  before  the  band  had  made  half  of  the 
necessary  distance,  the  dim  outline  of  the  rock  had  melted 
into  the  haze  of  the  background.  Indifferent  to  this  cir 
cumstance,  which  rather  favored  than  disconcerted  his 

251 


252  THE   PRAIRIE 

plans,  Mahtoree,  who  had  again  ridden  in  front,  held  on 
his  course  with  the  accuracy  of  a  hound  of  the  truest  scent, 
merely  slackening  his  speed  a  little,  as  the  horses  of  his 
party  were  by  this  time  thoroughly  blown.  It  was  at  this 
stage  of  the  enterprise  that  the  old  man  rode  up  to  the 
side  of  Middleton,  and  addressed  him  as  follows  in  English: 

"Here  is  likely  to  be  thieving  business,  and  one  in 
which  I  must  say  I  have  but  little  wish  to  be  a  partner." 

"What  would  you  do?  It  would  be  fatal  to  trust  our 
selves  in  the  hands  of  the  miscreants  in  our  rear." 

"Tut  for  miscreants,  be  they  red  or  be  they  white. 
Look  ahead,  lad,  as  if  ye  were  talking  of  our  medicines, 
or  perhaps  praising  the  Teton  beasts.  For  the  knaves 
love  to  hear  their  horses  commended,  the  same  as  a  fool 
ish  mother  in  the  settlements  is  fond  of  hearing  the  praises 
of  her  wilful  child.  So;  pat  the  animal,  and  lay  your 
hand  on  the  gewgaws  with  which  the  red-skins  have  orna 
mented  his  mane,  giving  your  eye  as  it  were  to  one 
thing,  and  your  mind  to  another.  Listen:  If  matters  are 
managed  with  judgment,  we  may  leave  these  Tetons  as 
the  night  sets  in." 

"A  blessed  thought!"  exclaimed  Middleton,  who  re 
tained  a  painful  remembrance  of  the  look  of  admiration 
with  which  Mahtoree  had  contemplated  the  loveliness  of 
Inez,  as  well  as  of  his  subsequent  presumption  in  daring 
to  wish  to  take  the  office  of  her  protector  on  himself. 

"Lord,  Lord!  what  a  weak  creatur'  is  man,  when  the 
gifts  of  natur'  are  smothered  in  bookish  knowledge  and 
womanly  manners!  Such  another  start  would  tell  these 
imps  at  our  elbows  that  we  were  plotting  against  them, 
just  as  plainly  as  if  it  were  whispered  in  their  ears  by  a 
Sioux  tongue.  Ay,  ay,  I  know  the  devils;  they  look  as 
innocent  as  so  many  frisky  fawns,  but  there  is  not  one 
among  them  all  that  has  not  an  eye  on  our  smallest  mo 
tions.  Therefore,  what  is  to  be  done  is  to  be  done  in 
wisdom,  in  order  to  circumvent  their  cunning.  That  is 
right;  pat  his  neck  and  smile,  as  if  you  praised  the  horse, 
and  keep  the  ear  on  my  side  open  to  my  words.  Be  care 
ful  not  to  worry  your  beast,  for  though  but  little  skilled 
in  horses,  reason  teaches  that  breath  is  needful  in  a  hard 
push,  and  that  a  weary  leg  makes  a  dull  race.  Be  ready 


THE   PRAIRIE  253 

to  mind  tha  signal,  when  you  hear  a  whine  from  old 
Hector.  The  first  will  be  to  make  ready;  the  second,  to 
edge  out  of  the  crowd;  and  the  third,  to  go— am  I  under 
stood?" 

"Perfectly,  perfectly,"  said  Middleton,  trembling  in 
his  excessive  eagerness  to  put  the  plan  in  instant  execu 
tion,  and  pressing  the  little  arm,  which  encircled  his 
body,  to  his  heart.  "Perfectly.  Hasten,  hasten." 

"Ay,  the  beast  is  no  sloth,"  continued  the  trapper  in 
the  Teton  language,  as  if  he  continued  the  discourse, 
edging  cautiously  through  the  dusky  throng  at  the  same 
time,  until  he  found  himself  riding  at  the  side  of  Paul. 
He  communicated  his  intentions  in  the  same  guarded 
manner  as  before.  The  high-spirited  and  fearless  bee- 
hunter  received  the  intelligence  with  delight,  declaring 
his  readiness  to  engage  the  whole  of  the  savage  band, 
should  it  become  necessary  to  effect  their  object.  When 
the  old  man  drew  off  from  the  side  of  this  pair  also,  he 
cast  his  eyes  about  him  to  discover  the  situation  occupied 
by  the  naturalist. 

The  Doctor,  with  infinite  labor  to  himself  and  Asinus, 
had  maintained  a  position  in  the  very  center  of  the  Sioux, 
so  long  as  there  existed  the  smallest  reason  for  believing 
that  any  of  the  missiles  of  Ishmael  might  arrive  in  con 
tact  with  his  person.  After  this  danger  had  diminished, 
or  rather  disappeared  entirely,  his  own  courage  revived, 
while  that  of  his  steed  began  to  droop.  To  this  mutual 
but  very  material  change  was  owing  the  fact  that  the 
rider  and  the  ass  were  now  to  be  sought  among  the  por 
tion  of  the  band  who  formed  a  sort  of  rear-guard.  Hither, 
then,  the  trapper  contrived  to  turn  his  steed,  without 
exciting  the  suspicions  of  any  of  his  subtle  companions. 

"Friend,"  commenced  the  old  man,  when  he  found  him 
self  in  a  situation  favorable  to  discourse,  "should  you 
like  to  pass  a  dozen  years  among  the  savages  with  a  shaved 
head,  and  a  painted  countenance,  with,  perhaps,  a  couple 
of  wives  and  five  or  six  children  of  the  half-breed,  to  call 
you  father?" 

"Impossible!"  exclaimed  the  startled  naturalist, 
am  indisposed  to  matrimony   in  general,  and  more  espe 
cially  to  all  admixture  of  the  varieties  of  species,  which 


254  THE   PRAIRIE 

only  tend  to  tarnish  the  beauty  and  to  interrupt  tae  har 
mony  of  nature.  Moreover,  it  is  a  painful  innovation  on 
the  order  of  all  nomenclatures. ' ' 

"Ay,  ay,  you  have  reason  enough  for  your  distaste  to 
such  a  life;  but  should  these  Sioux  get  you  fairly  into 
their  village,  such  would  be  your  luck,  as  certain  as  that 
the  sun  rises  and  sets  at  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord." 

"Marry  me  to  a  woman  who  is  not  adorned  with  the 
comeliness  of  the  species!"  responded  the  Doctor.  "Of 
what  crime  have  I  been  guilty,  that  so  grievous  a  punish 
ment  should  await  the  offense?  To  marry  a  man  against 
the  movements  of  his  will,  is  to  do  a  violence  to  human 
nature!" 

"Now,  that  you  speak  of  natur',  I  have  hopes  that  the 
gift  of  reason  has  not  altogether  deserted  your  brain," 
returned  the  old  man,  with  a  covert  expression  playing 
about  the  angles  of  his  deep-set  eyes,  which  betrayed  he 
was  not  entirely  destitute  of  humor.  "Nay,  they  may 
conceive  you  a  remarkable  subject  for  their  kindness,  and 
for  that  matter  marry  you  to  five  or  six.  I  have  known, 
in  my  days,  favored  chiefs,  who  had  numberless  wives." 

"But  why  should  they  meditate  this  vengeance?"  de 
manded  the  Doctor,  whose  hair  began  to  rise,  as  if  each 
fibre  was  possessed  of  sensibility;  "what  evil  have  I 
done?" 

"It  is  the  fashion  of  their  kindness.  When  they  come 
to  learn  that  you  are  a  great  medicine,  they  will  adopt 
you  into  the  tribe,  and  some  mighty  chief  will  give  you 
his  name,  and  perhaps  his  daughter,  or  it  may  be  a  wife 
or  two  of  his  own,  who  have  dwelt  long  in  his  lodge,  and 
of  whose  value  he  is  a  judge  by  experience. ' ' 

"The  Governor  and  Founder  of  natural  harmony  protect 
me!"  ejaculated  the  Doctor.  "I  have  no  affinity  to  a 
single  consort,  much  less  to  duplicates  and  triplicates  of 
the  class!  I  shall  certainly  essay  a  flight  from  their  abodes 
before  I  mingle  in  so  violent  a  conjunction." 

"There  is  reason  in  your  words;  but  why  not  attempt 
the  race  you  speak  of  now?" 

The  naturalist  looked  fearfully  around,  as  if  he  had  an 
inclination  to  make  an  instant  exhibition  of  his  desperate 
intention;  but  the  dusky  figures  who  were  riding  on  every 


THE   PRAIRIE  255 

side  of  him  seemed  suddenly  tripled  in  number,  and  the 
darkness  that  was  already  thickening  on  the  prairie,  ap 
peared  in  his  eyes  to  possess  the  glare  of  high  noon. 

"It  would  be  premature,  and  reason  forbids  it,"  he 
answered.  "Leave  me,  venerable  venator,  to  the  counsel 
of  my  own  thoughts,  and  when  my  plans  are  properly 
classed,  I  will  advise  you  of  my  resolutions." 

"Resolutions!"  repeated  the  old  man,  shaking  his  head 
a  little  contemptuously  as  he  gave  the  rein  to  his  horse, 
and  allowed  him  to  mingle  with  the  steeds  of  the  savages. 
"Resolution  is  a  word  that  is  talked  of  in  the  settlements, 
and  felt  on  the  borders.  Does  my  brother  know  the  beast 
on  which  the  pale  face  rides?"  he  continued,  addressing 
a  gloomy-looking  warrior  in  his  own  tongue,  and  making 
a  motion  with  his  arm  that  at  the  same  time  directed  his 
attention  to  the  naturalist  and  the  meek  Asinus. 

The  Teton  turned  his  eyes  for  a  minute  on  the  animal, 
but  disdained  to  manifest  the  smallest  portion  of  that 
wonder  he  had  felt,  in  common  with  all  his  companions, 
on  first  viewing  so  rare  a  quadruped.  The  trapper  was 
not  ignorant  that  while  asses  and  mules  were  beginning 
to  be  known  to  those  tribes  who  dwelt  nearest  the  Mexi- 
cos,  they  were  not  usually  encountered  so  far  north  as 
the  waters  of  La  Platte.  He  therefore  managed  to  read 
the  mute  astonishment  that  lay  so  deeply  concealed  in 
the  tawny  visage  of  the  savage,  and  took  his  measures 
accordingly. 

"Does  my  brother  think  that  the  rider  is  a  warrior  of 
the  pale  faces?"  he  demanded,  when  he  believed  that 
sufficient  time  had  elapsed  for  a  full  examination  of  the 
pacific  mien  of  the  naturalist. 

The  flash  of  scorn  which  shot  across  the  features  of  the 
Teton  was  visible  even  by  the  dim  light  of  the  stars. 

"Is  a  Dahcotah  a  fool?"  was  the  answer. 

"They  are  a  wise  nation,  whose  eyes  are  never  shut; 
much  do  I  wonder  that  they  have  not  seen  the  great 
medicine  of  the  Big-knives!" 

"Wagh!"  exclaimed  his  companion,  suffering  thewnc 
of  his  amazement  to  burst  out  of  his  dark,  rigid  counte 
nance  at  the  surprise,  like  a  flash  of  lightning  illuminating 
the  gloom  of  midnight. 


256  THE   PRAIRIE 

"The  Dahcotah  knows  that  my  tongue  is  not  forked. 
Let  him  open  his  eyes  wider.  Does  he  not  see  a  very 
great  medicine?" 

The  light  was  not  necessary  to  recall  to  the  savage  each 
feature  in  the  really  remarkable  costume  and  equipage  of 
Dr.  Battius.  In  common  with  the  rest  of  the  band,  and 
in  conformity  with  the  universal  practise  of  the  Indians, 
this  warrior,  while  he  had  suffered  no  gaze  of  idle  curi 
osity  to  disgrace  his  manhood,  had  not  permitted  a  single 
distinctive  mark  which  might  characterize  ary  one  of  the 
strangers  to  escape  his  vigilance.  He  knew  the  air,  the 
stature,  the  dress,  and  the  features,  even  to  the  color  of 
the  eyes  and  of  the  hair,  of  every  one  of  the  Big-knives 
whom  he  had  thus  strangely  encountered,  and  deeply  had 
he  ruminated  on  the  causes  which  could  have  led  a  party 
so  singularly  constituted,  into  the  haunts  of  the  rude  in 
habitants  of  his  native  wastes.  He  had  already  considered 
the  several  physical  powers  of  the  whole  party,  and  had 
duly  compared  their  abilities  with  what  he  supposed  might 
have  been  their  intentions.  Warriors  they  were  not,  for 
the  Big-knives,  like  the  Sioux,  left  their  women  in  their 
villages  when  they  went  out  on  the  bloody  path.  The 
same  objections  applied  to  them  as  hunters,  and  even  as 
traders,  the  two  characters  under  which  the  white  men 
commonly  appeared  in  their  villages.  He  had  heard  of  a 
great  council  at  which  the  Menahashah,  or  Long-knives, 
and  the  Washsheomantiqua,  or  Spaniards,  had  smoked 
together,  when  the  latter  had  sold  to  the  former  their 
incomprehensible  rights  over  those  vast  regions,  through 
which  his  nation  had  roamed  in  freedom  for  so  many 
ages.  His  simple  mind  had  not  been  able  to  embrace  the 
reasons  why  one  people  should  thus  assume  a  superiority 
over  the  possessions  of  another;  and  it  will  readily  be 
perceived  that,  at  the  hint  just  received  from  the  trapper, 
he  was  not  indisposed  to  fancy  that  some  of  the  hidden 
subtlety  of  that  magical  influence  of  which  he  was  so  firm 
a  believer,  was  about  to  be  practised  by  the  unsuspecting 
subject  of  their  conversation,  in  furtherance  of  these 
mysterious  claims.  Abandoning,  therefore,  all  the  reserve 
and  dignity  of  his  manner  under  the  conscious  helplessness 
of  ignorance,  he  turned  to  the  old  man,  and  stretching 


THE   PRAIRIE  257 

forth  his  arms,  as  if  to  denote  how  much  he  lay  at  his 
mercy,  he  said : 

"Let  my  father  look  at  me.  I  am  a  wild  man  of  the 
prairies;  my  body  is  naked;  my  hands  empty;  my  skin 
red.  I  have  struck  the  Pawnees,  the  Konzas,  the  Oma- 
haws,  the  Osages,  and  even  the  Long-knives.  I  am  a  man 
amid  warriors,  but  a  woman  among  the  conjurors.  Let 
my  father  speak;  the  ears  of  the  Teton  are  open.  He 
listens  like  a  deer  to  the  step  of  the  cougar." 

"Such  are  the  wise  and  uns'archable  ways  of  One  who 
alone  knows  good  from  evil!"  exclaimed  the  trapper,  in 
English.  "To  some  He  grants  cunning,  and  on  others  he 
bestows  the  gift  of  manhood!  It  is  humbling  and  it  is 
afflicting  to  see  so  noble  a  creatur'  as  this,  who  has  fou't 
in  many  a  bloody  fray,  truckling  before  his  superstition 
like  a  beggar  asking  for  the  bones  you  would  throw  to 
the  dogs.  The  Lord  will  forgive  me  for  playing  with  the 
ignorance  of  the  savage,  for  He  knows  I  do  it  in  no 
mockery  of  his  state,  or  in  idle  vaunting  of  my  own;  but 
in  order  to  save  mortal  life,  and  to  give  justice  to  the 
wronged,  while  I  defeat  the  deviltries  of  the  wicked! 
Teton,"  speaking  again  in  the  language  of  the  listener, 
"I  ask  you,  is  not  that  a  wonderful  medicine?  If  the 
Dahcotahs  are  wise,  they  will  not  breathe  the  air  he 
breathes,  nor  touch  his  robes.  They  know  that  the  Wah- 
conshecheh  (bad  spirit)  loves  his  own  children,  and  will 
not  turn  his  back  on  him  that  does  them  harm." 

The  old  man  delivered  this  opinion  in  an  ominous  and 
sententious  manner,  and  then  rode  apart  as  if  he  had  said 
enough.  The  result  justified  his  expectations.  The  warrior 
to  whom  he  had  addressed  himself  was  not  slow  to  com 
municate  his  important  knowledge  to  the  rest  of  the  rear 
guard,  and  in  a  very  few  moments  the  naturalist  was  the 
object  of  general  observation  and  reverence.  The  trap 
per,  who  understood  that  the  natives  often  worshiped, 
with  a  view  to  propitiate  the  evil  spirit,  awaited  the 
workings  of  his  artifice,  with  the  coolness  of  one  who  had 
not  the  smallest  interest  in  its  effects.  It  was  not  long 
before  he  saw  one  dark  figure  after  another  lashing  his 
horse,  and  galloping  ahead  into  the  center  of  the  band, 
until  Weucha  alone  remained  nigh  the  persons  of  himself 
17 


258  THE   PRAIRIE 

and  Obed.  The  very  dullness  of  this  groveling-minded 
savage,  who  continued  gazing  at  the  supposed  conjuror 
with  a  sort  of  stupid  admiration,  opposed  now  the  only 
obstacle  to  the  complete  success  of  his  artifice. 

Thoroughly  understanding  the  character  of  this  Indian, 
the  old  man  lost  no  time  in  getting  rid  of  him  also. 
Riding  to  his  side  he  said,  in  an  affected  whisper: 

"Has  Weucha  drunk  of  the  milk  of  the  Big-knives 
to-day?" 

"Hugh!"  exclaimed  the  savage,  every  dull  thought 
instantly  recalled  from  heaven  to  earth  by  the  question. 

"Because  the  great  captain  of  my  people,  who  rides  in 
front,  has  a  cow  that  is  never  empty.  I  know  it  will  not 
be  long  before  he  will  say,  'Are  any  of  my  red  brethren 
dry?'" 

The  words  were  scarcely  uttered,  before  Weucha,  in  his 
turn,  quickened  the  gait  of  his  beast,  and  was  soon  blended 
with  the  rest  of  the  dark  group,  who  were  riding,  at  a 
more  moderate  pace,  a  few  rods  in  advance.  The  trapper, 
who  knew  how  fickle  and  sudden  were  the  changes  of 
a  savage  mind,  did  not  lose  a  moment  in  profiting  by 
this  advantage.  He  loosened  the  reins  of  his  own  im 
patient  steed,  and  in  an  instant  he  was  again  at  the  side 
of  Obed. 

"Do  you  see  the  twinkling  star,  that  is,  maybe,  the 
length  of  four  rifles  above  the  prairie?  here-away  to  the 
North  I  mean." 

"Ay,  it  is  of  the  constellation — 

"A  tut  for  your  constellations,  man;  do  you  see  the 
star  I  mean?  Tell  me  in  the  English  of  the  land,  yes  or 
no." 

"Yes." 

"The  moment  my  back  is  turned,  pull  upon  the  rein  of 
your  ass,  until  you  lose  sight  of  the  savages.  Then  take 
the  Lord  for  your  dependence,  and  yonder  star  for  your 
guide.  Turn  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left, 
but  make  diligent  use  of  your  time,  for  your  beast  is  not 
quick  of  foot,  and  every  inch  of  prairie  you  gain,  is  a  day 
added  to  your  liberty,  or  to  your  life." 

Without  waiting  to  listen  to  the  queries  which  the 
naturalist  was  about  to  put,  the  old  man  again  loosened 


THE   PRAIRIE  259 

the  reins  of  his  horse,  and  presently  he  too  was  blended 
with  the  group  in  front. 

Obed  was  now  alone.     Asinus  willingly  obeyed  the  hint 
which     is  master  soon  gave,  rather  in  desperation  than 
with  any  very  collected  understanding  of  the  orders  he 
had  received,  and  checked  his  pace  accordingly.     As  the 
Tetons,  however,  rode  at  a  hand-gallop,  but  a  moment  of 
time  was  necessary,  after  the  ass  began  to  walk,  to  remove 
them  effectually  from  before   the  vision  of  his    rider. 
Without  plan,  expectation,  or  hope  of  any  sort,  except 
that  of  escaping  from  his  dangerous  neighbors,  the  Doctor, 
first  feeling  to  assure  himself  that  the  package  which 
contained  the  miserable  remnants  of  his  specimens  and 
notes  was  safe  at  his  crupper,  turned   the  head  of  the 
beast  in  the  required  direction,  and  kicking  him  with  a 
species  of  fury,  he  soon  succeeded  in  exciting  the  speed 
of  the  patient  animal  into  a  smart  run.     He  had  barely 
time  to  descend  into  a  hollow  and  ascend  the  adjoining 
swell  of  the  prairie  before  he  heard,  or  fancied  he  heard, 
his  name  shouted  in  good  English  from  the  throats  of 
twenty  Tetons.     The  delusion  gave  a  new  impulse  to  his 
ardor;   and  no  professor  of  the  saltant  art  ever  applied 
himself  with  greater  industry  than  the  naturalist  now 
used  his  heels  on  the  ribs  of  Asinus.    The  conflict  endured 
for  several  minutes  without  interruption,  and  to  all  ap 
pearances  it  might  have  continued  to  the  present  moment 
had  not  the  meek  temper  of  the  beast  become  unduly  ex 
cited.     Borrowing  an  idea  from  the  manner  in  which  his 
master  exhibited  his  agitation,  Asinus  so  far  changed  the 
application  of  his  own  heels  as  to  raise  them  simultane 
ously  with  a  certain   indignant  flourish   into  the  air,  a 
measure  that  instantly  decided    the  controversy   in  his 
favor.     Obed  took  leave  of  his  seat  as  of  a  position  no 
longer  tenable,  continuing,  however,  the  direction  of  his 
flight;  while  the  ass,  like  a  conqueror,  took  possession  of 
the  field  of  battle,  beginning  to  crop  the  dry  herbage  as 
the  fruits  of  victory. 

When  Doctor  Battius  had  recovered  his  feet  and  rallied 
his  faculties,  which  were  in  a  good  deal  of  disorder  from 
the  hurried  manner  in  which  he  had  abandoned  his  former 
situation,  he  returned  in  quest  of  his  specimens  and  of 


260  THE   PRAIRIE 

his  ass.  Asinus  displayed  enough  of  magnanimity  to  ren 
der  the  interview  amicable,  and  thenceforth  the  natural 
ist  continued  the  required  route  with  very  commendable 
industry,  but  with  a  much  more  tempered  discretion. 

In  the  meantime  the  old  trapper  had  not  lost  sight  of 
the  important  movements  that  he  had  undertaken  to  con 
trol.  Obed  had  not  been  mistaken  in  supposing  that  he 
was  already  missed  and  sought,  though 'his  imagination 
had  corrupted  certain  savage  cries  into  the  well-known 
sounds  that  composed  his  own  latinized  name.  The  truth 
was  simply  this.  The  warriors  of  the  rear-guard  had  not 
failed  to  apprise  those  in  front  of  the  mysterious  char 
acter  with  which  it  had  pleased  the  trapper  to  invest  the 
unsuspecting  naturalist.  The  same  untutored  admiration 
which  on  the  receipt  of  this  intelligence  had  driven  those 
in  the  rear  to  the  front,  now  drove  many  of  the  front  to 
the  rear.  The  Doctor  was  of  course  absent,  and  the  out 
cry  was  no  more  than  the  wild  yells  which  were  raised  in 
the  first  burst  of  savage  disappointment. 

But  the  authority  of  Mahtoree  was  prompt  to  aid  the 
ingenuity  of  the  trapper,  in  suppressing  these  dangerous 
sounds.  When  order  was  restored,  and  the  former  was 
made  acquainted  with  the  reason  why  his  young  men 
had  betrayed  so  strong  a  mark  of  indiscretion,  the  old 
man,  who  had  taken  a  post  at  his  elbow,  saw  with  alarm 
the  gleam  of  keen  distrust  that  flashed  in  his  swarthy 
visage. 

"Where  is  your  conjuror?"  demanded  the  chief,  turn 
ing  suddenly  to  the  trapper,  as  if  he  meant  to  make  him 
responsible  for  the  reappearance  of  Obed. 

"Can  I  tell  my  brother  the  number  of  the  stars?  the 
ways  of  a  great  medicine  are  not  like  the  ways  of  other 
men. ' ' 

"Listen  to  me,  gray-head,  and  count  my  words,"  con 
tinued  the  other,  bending  on  his  rude  saddle-bow  like 
some  chevalier  of  a  more  civilized  race,  and  speaking  in 
the  haughty  tones  of  absolute  power;  "the  Dahcotahs 
have  not  chosen  a  woman  for  their  chief;  when  Mahtoree 
feels  the  power  of  a  great  medicine  he  will  tremble;  un 
til  then  he  will  look  with  his  own  eyes  without  borrowing 
sight  from  a  pale  face.  If  your  conjuror  is  not  with  his 


THE   PRAIRIE  261 

friends  in  the  morning,  my  young  men  shall  look  for  him. 
Your  ears  are  open.  Enough!" 

The  trapper  was  not  sorry  to  find  that  so  long  a  respite 
was  granted.  He  had  before  found  reason  to  believe, 
that  the  Teton  partisan  was  one  of  those  bold  spirits  who 
overstep  the  limits  which  use  and  education  fix  to  the 
opinions  of  man  in  every  state  of  society,  and  he  now  saw 
plainly  that  he  must  adopt  some  artifice  to  deceive  him, 
different  from  that  which  had  succeeded  so  well  with  his 
followers.  The  sudden  appearance  of  the  rock,  however, 
which  hove  up,  a  bleak  and  ragged  mass,  out  of  the  dark 
ness  ahead,  put  an  end  for  the  present  to  the  discourse. 
Mahtoree  giving  all  his  thoughts  to  the  execution  of  his 
designs  on  the  rest  of  the  squatter's  movables.  A  mur 
mur  ran  through  the  band,  as  each  dark  warrior  caught 
a  glimpse  of  the  desired  haven,  after  which  the  nicest  ear 
might  have  listened  in  vain  to  catch  a  sound  louder  than 
the  rustling  of  feet  among  the  tall  grass  of  the  prairie. 

But  the  vigilance  of  Esther  was  not  easily  deceived. 
She  had  long  listened  anxiously  to  the  suspicious  sounds 
which  approached  the  rock  across  the  naked  waste,  nor 
had  the  sudden  outcry  been  unheard  by  the  unwearied 
sentinels  of  the  rock.  The  savages,  who  had  dismounted 
at  some  little  distance,  had  not  time  to  draw  around  the 
base  of  the  hill  in  their  customary  silent  and  insidious 
manner,  before  the  voice  of  the  Amazon  was  raised,  de 
manding: 

"Who  is  beneath?  Answer  for  your  lives!  Sioux  or 
devils,  I  fear  ye  not!" 

No  answer  was  given  to  this  challenge,  every  warrior 
halting  where  he  stood,  confident  that  his  dusky  form  was 
blended  with  the  shadows  of  the  plain.  It  was  at  this 
moment  that  the  trapper  determined  to  escape.  He  had 
been  left  with  the  rest  of  his  friends,  under  the  surveil 
lance  of  those  who  were  assigned  to  the  duty  of  watching 
the  horses,  and  as  they  all  continued  mounted,  the  moment 
appeared  favorable  to  his  project.  The  attention  of  the 
guards  was  drawn  to  the  rock,  and  a  heavy  cloud  driving 
above  them  at  that  instant,  obscured  even  the  feeble  light 
which  fell  from  the  stars.  Leaning  on  the  neck  of  his 
horse,  the  old  man  muttered: 


262  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Where  is  my  pup?  Where  is  it — Hector — where  is 
it,  dog?" 

The  hound  caught  the  well-known  sounds,  and  answered 
by  a  whine  of  friendship,  which  threatened  to  break  out 
into  one  of  his  piercing  howls.  The  trapper  was  in  the 
act  of  raising  himself  from  this  successful  exploit,  when 
he  felt  the  hand  of  Weucha  grasping  his  throat,  as  if  de 
termined  to  suppress  his  voice  by  the  very  unequivocal 
process  of  strangulation.  Profiting  by  the  circumstance, 
he  raised  another  low  sound,  as  in  the  natural  effort  of 
breathing,  which  drew  a  second  responsive  cry  from  the 
faithful  hound.  Weucha  instantly  abandoned  his  hold  of 
the  master  in  order  to  wreak  his  vengeance  on  the  dog. 
But  the  voice  of  Esther  was  again  heard,  and  every  other 
design  was  abandoned  in  order  to  listen. 

"Ay,  whine  and  deform  your  throats  as  you  may,  ye 
imps  of  darkness, ' '  she  said,  with  a  cracked  but  scornful 
laugh;  "I  know  ye;  tarry,  and  ye  shall  have  light  for 
your  misdeeds.  Put  in  the  coal,  Phoebe;  put  in  the  coal; 
your  father  and  the  boys  shall  see  that  they  are  wanted 
at  home,  to  welcome  their  guests." 

As  she  spoke,  a  strong  light,  like  that  of  a  brilliant 
star,  was  seen  on  the  very  pinnacles  of  the  rock;  then 
followed  a  forked  flame,  which  curled  for  a  moment  amid 
the  windings  of  an  enormous  pile  of  brush,  and  flashing 
upwards  in  an  united  sheet,  it  wavered  to  and  fro  in  the 
passing  air,  shedding  a  bright  glare  on  every  object  with 
in  its  influence.  A  taunting  laugh  was  heard  from  the 
height,  in  which  the  voices  of  all  ages  mingled,  as  though 
they  triumphed  at  having  so  successfully  exposed  the 
treacherous  intentions  of  the  Tetons. 

The  trapper  looked  about  him  to  ascertain  in  what  sit 
uations  he  might  find  his  friends.  True  to  the  signals, 
Middleton  and  Paul  had  drawn  a  little  apart,  and  now 
stood  ready,  by  every  appearance,  to  commence  their 
flight  at  the  third  repetition  of  the  cry.  Hector  had 
escaped  his  savage  pursuer,  and  was  again  crouching  at 
the  heels  of  his  master's  horse.  But  the  broad  circle  of 
light  was  gradually  increasing  in  extent  and  power,  and 
the  old  man,  whose  eye  and  judgment  so  rarely  failed 
him,  patiently  awaited  a  more  propitious  moment  for  his 
enterprise. 


THE   PRAIRIE  263 

"Now,  Ishmael,  my  man,  if  sight  and  hand  ar'  true  as 
ever,  now  is  the  time  to  work  upon  these  red-skins,  who 
claim  to  own  all  your  property,  even  to  your  wife  and 
children!  Now,  my  good  man,  prove  both  breed  and 
character ! ' ' 

A  distant  shout  was  heard  in  the  direction  of  the  ap 
proaching  party  of  the  squatter,  assuring  the  female  gar 
rison  that  succor  was  not  far  distant.  Esther  answered 
to  the  grateful  sounds  by  a  cracked  cry  of  her  own,  lift 
ing  her  form,  in  the  first  burst  of  exultation,  above  the 
rock  in  a  manner  to  be  visible  to  all  below.  Not  content 
with  this  dangerous  exposure  of  her  person,  she  was  in 
the  act  of  tossing  her  arms  in  triumph,  when  the  dark 
figure  of  Mahtoree  shot  into  the  light  and  pinioned  them 
to  her  side.  The  forms  of  three  other  warriors  glided 
across  the  top  of  the  rock,  looking  like  naked  demons 
flitting  among  the  clouds.  The  air  was  filled  with  the 
brands  of  the  beacon,  and  a  heavy  darkness  succeeded, 
not  unlike  that  of  the  appalling  instant  when  the  last  rays 
of  the  sun  are  excluded  by  the  intervening  mass  of  the 
moon.  A  yell  ef  triumph  burst  from  the  savages  in  their 
turn,  and  was  rather  accompanied  than  followed  by  a  long, 
loud  whine  from  Hector. 

In  an  instant  the  old  man  was  between  the  horses  of 
Middleton  and  Paul,  extending  a  hand  to  the  bridle  of 
each,  in  order  to  check  the  impatience  of  their  riders. 

"Softly,  softly,"  he  whispered,  "their  eyes  are  as  mar- 
velously  shut  for  the  minute,  as  if  the  Lord  had  stricken 
them  blind;  but  their  ears  are  open.  Softly,  softly;  for 
fifty  rods,  at  least,  we  must  move  no  faster  than  a  walk.' 

The  five  minutes  of  doubt  that  succeeded  appeared  like 
an  age  to  all  but  the  trapper.  As  their  sight  was  grad 
ually  restored,  it  seemed  to  each  that  the  momentary 
gloom  which  followed  the  extinction  of  the  beacon,  was  to 
be  replaced  by  as  broad  a  light  as  that  of  noonday.  Grad 
ually  the  old  man,  however,  suffered  the  animals  to  quicken 
their  steps,  until  they  had  gained  the  center  of  one  of  the 
prairie  bottoms.  Then  laughing  in  his  quiet  manner,  he 
released  the  reins,  and  said: 

"Now  let  them  give  play  to  their  legs;  but  keep  on  the 
old  fog  to  deaden  the  sounds. ' ' 


264  THE   PRAIRIE 

It  is  needless  to  say  how  cheerfully  he  was  obeyed.  In 
a  few  more  minutes  they  ascended  and  crossed  a  swell  of 
the  land,  after  which  the  flight  was  continued  at  the  top 
of  their  horses'  speed,  keeping  the  indicated  star  in  view, 
as  the  laboring  bark  steers  for  the  light  which  points  the 
way  to  a  haven  and  security. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

The  clouds  and  sunbeams  o'er  his  eye, 
That  once  their  shades  and  glories  threw, 

Have  left,  in  yonder  silent  sky, 
No  vestige  where  they  flew." 

—  MONTGOMBKT. 

A  STILLNESS,  as  deep  as  that  which  marked  the  gloomy 
wastes  in  their  front,  was  observed  by  the  fugitives  to 
distinguish  the  spot  they  had  just  abandoned.  Even  the 
trapper  lent  his  practised  faculties,  in  vain,  to  detect  any 
of  the  well-known  signs  which  might  establish  the  impor 
tant  fact  that  hostilities  had  actually  commenced  between 
the  parties  of  Mahtoree  and  Ishmael;  but  their  horses 
carried  them  out  of  the  reach  of  sounds,  without  the  oc 
currence  of  the  smallest  evidence  of  the  sort.  The  old 
man,  from  time  to  time,  muttered  his  discontent,  but 
manifested  the  uneasiness  he  actually  entertained  in  no 
other  manner,  unless  it  might  be  in  exhibiting  a  growing 
anxiety  to  urge  the  animals  to  increase  their  speed.  He 
pointed  out  in  passing,  the  deserted  swale  where  the  fam 
ily  of  the  squatter  had  encamped,  the  night  they  were  in 
troduced  to  the  reader,  and  afterwards  he  maintained  an 
ominous  silence;  ominous,  because  his  companions  had 
already  seen  enough  of  his  character  to  be  convinced  that 
the  circumstances  must  be  critical  indeed,  which  possessed 
the  power  to  disturb  the  well-regulated  tranquil ity  of 
the  old  man's  mind. 

"Have  we  not  done  enough?"  Middleton  demanded,  in 
tenderness  to  the  inability  of  Inez  and  Ellen  to  endure  so 
much  fatigue,  at  the  end  of  some  hours;  "we have  ridden 
hard,  and  have  crossed  a  wide  tract  of  plain.  It  is  time 
to  seek  a  place  of  rest. ' ' 

"You  must  seek  it  then  in  heaven,  if  you  find  yourselves 
unequal  to  a  longer  march,"  murmured  the  old  trapper. 
"Had  the  Tetons  and  the  squatter  come  to  blows,  as  any 
one  might  see  in  the  natur'  of  things  they  were  bound 

265 


266  THE   PRAIRIE 

to  do,  there  would  be  time  to  look  about  us,  and  to  cal 
culate  not  only  the  chances  but  the  comforts  of  the  jour 
ney;  but  as  the  case  actually  is,  I  should  consider  it 
certain  death,  or  endless  captivity,  to  trust  our  eyes  with 
sleep  until  our  heads  are  fairly  hid  in  some  uncommon 
cover. ' ' 

"I  know  not,"  returned  the  youth,  who  reflected  more 
on  the  sufferings  of  the  fragile  being  he  supported,  than 
on  the  experience  of  his  companion,  "I  know  not;  we 
have  ridden  leagues,  and  I  can  see  no  extraordinary  signs 
of  danger;  if  you  fear  for  yourself,  my  good  friend,  be 
lieve  me  you  are  wrong,  for — 

'  'Your  gran  'ther,  were  he  living  and  here,"  interrupted 
the  old  man,  stretching  forth  a  hand,  and  laying  a  finger 
impressively  on  the  arm  of  Middleton,  "would  have 
spared  those  words.  He  had  some  reason  to  think  that, 
in  the  prime  of  my  days,  when  my  eye  was  quicker  than 
the  hawk's,  and  my  limbs  were  as  active  as  the  legs  of  the 
fallow  deer,  I  never  clung  too  eagerly  and  fondly  to  life; 
then  why  should  I  now  feel  such  a  childish  affection  for  a 
thing  that  I  know  to  be  vain,  and  the  companion  of  pain 
and  sorrow?  Let  the  Tetons  do  their  worst;  they  will 
not  find  a  miserable  and  worn-out  trapper  the  loudest  in 
his  complaints,  or  his  prayers." 

"Pardon  me,  my  worthy,  my  inestimable  friend,"  ex 
claimed  the  repentant  young  man,  warmly  grasping  the 
hand  which  the  other  was  in  the  act  of  withdrawing;  "I 
knew  not  what  I  said — or  rather  I  thought  only  of  those 
whose  tenderness  we  are  most  bound  to  consider. ' ' 

"Enough.  It's  natur',  and  it  is  right.  Therein  your 
gran 'ther  would  have  done  the  very  same.  Ah's  me! 
what  a  number  of  seasons,  hot  and  cold,  wet  and  dry, 
have  rolled  over  my  poor  head,  since  the  time  we  worried 
it  out  together,  among  the  red  Hurons  of  the  Lakes,  back 
in  those  rugged  mountains  of  old  York!  and  many  a  noble 
buck  has  since  that  day  fallen  by  my  hand;  ay,  and  many 
a  thieving  Mingo,  too!  Tell  me,  lad,  did  the  general — 
for  general  I  know  he  got  to  be — did  he  ever  tell  you  of 
the  deer  we  took  that  night  the  outlyers  of  the  accursed 
tribe  drove  us  to  the  caves  on  the  island,  and  how  we 
feasted  and  drunk  in  security?" 


THE   PRAIRIE  267 

"I  have  often  heard  him  mention  the  smallest  circum 
stance  of  the  night  you  mean;  but— 

"And  the  singer;  and  his  open  throat;  and  his  shout 
ings  in  the  fights!"  continued  the  old  man,  laughing  joy 
ously  at  the  strength  of  his  own  recollections. 

"All— all;  he  forgot  nothing,  even  to  the  most  trifling 
incident.  Do  you  not — 

"What!  did  he  tell  you  of  the  imp  behind  the  log— and 
of  the  miserable  devil  who  went  over  the  fall — or  of  the 
wretch  in  the  tree?" 

"Of  each  and  all,  with  everything  that  concerned  them  l 
I  should  think— 

"Ay,"  continued  the  old  man,  in  a  voice  which  be 
trayed  how  powerfully  his  own  faculties  retained  the  im 
pression  of  the  spectacle,  "I  have  been  a  dweller  in  forests 
and  in  the  wilderness  for  threescore  and  ten  years,  and 
if  any  can  pretend  to  know  the  world,  or  to  have  seen 
skeary  sights,  it  is  myself!  But  never,  before  nor  since, 
have  I  seen  human  man  in  such  a  state  of  mortal  despair 
as  that  very  savage;  and  yet  he  scorned  to  speak,  or  to 
cry  out,  or  to  own  his  forlorn  condition!  It  is  their  gift, 
and  nobly  did  he  maintain  it!" 

"Harkee,  old  trapper,"  interrupted  Paul,  who,  content 
with  the  knowledge  that  his  waist  was  grasped  by  one  of 
the  arms  of  Ellen,  had  hitherto  ridden  in  unusual  silence; 
"my  eyes  are  as  true  and  as  delicate  as  a  humming-bird's 
in  the  day;  but  they  are  nothing  worth  boasting  of  by 
starlight.  Is  that  a  sick  buffalo  crawling  along  in  the 
bottom  there,  or  is  it  one  of  the  stray  cattle  of  the 
savages?" 

The  whole  party  drew  up,  in  order  to  examine  the  ob 
ject  which  Paul  had  pointed  out.  During  most  of  the 
time  they  had  ridden  in  the  little  vales  in  order  to  seek 
the  protection  of  the  shadows,  but  just  at  that  moment 
they  had  ascended  a  roll  of  the  prairie  in  order  to  cross 
into  the  very  bottom  where  this  unknown  animal  was 
now  seen. 

"Let  us  descend,"  said  Middleton;  "be  it  beast  or 
man,  we  are  too  strong  to  have  any  cause  of  fear." 

1They  who  have  read  the  preceding  books,  In  which  the  trapper  appears  as  a 
hunter  and  a  scout,  will  readily  understand  the  allusions. 


268  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Now,  if  the  thing  was  not  morally  impossible,"  cried 
the  trapper,  who  the  reader  must  have  already  discovered 
was  not  always  exact  in  the  use  of  qualifying  words,  "if 
the  thing  was  not  morally  impossible,  I  should  say  that 
was  the  man  who  journeys  in  search  of  reptiles  and  in 
sects;  our  fellow-traveler,  the  Doctor. " 

"Why  impossible?  did  you  not  direct  him  to  pursue 
this  course,  in  order  to  join  us?" 

"Ay,  but  I  did  not  tell  him  to  make  an  ass  outdo  the 
speed  of  a  horse.  You  are  right — you  are  right, ' '  said 
the  trapper,  interrupting  himself,  as  by  gradually  lessen 
ing  the  distance  between  them,  his  eyes  assured  him  it 
was  Obed  and  Asinus  whom  he  saw;  "you  are  right,  as 
certainly  as  the  thing  is  a  miracle.  Lord,  what  a  thing 
is  fear!  How  now,  friend?  you  have  been  industrious  to 
have  got  so  far  ahead  in  so  short  a  time.  I  marvel  at  the 
speed  of  the  ass!" 

"Asinus  is  overcome,"  returned  the  naturalist,  mourn 
fully.  "The  animal  has  certainly  not  been  idle  since  we 
separated,  but  he  declines  all  my  admonitions  and  invita 
tions  to  proceed.  I  hope  there  is  no  instant  fear  from 
the  savages?" 

"I  cannot  say  that — I  cannot  say  that;  matters  are  not 
as  they  should  be,  atween  the  squatter  and  the  Tetons,  nor 
will  I  answer  as  yet  for  the  safety  of  any  scalp  among  us. 
The  beast  is  broken  down!  You  have  urged  him  beyond 
his  natural  gifts,  and  he  is  like  a  worried  hound.  There 
is  pity  and  discretion  in  all  things,  even  though  a  man  be 
riding  for  his  life." 

"You  indicated  the  star,"  returned  the  Doctor,  "and  I 
deemed  it  expedient  to  use  great  diligence  in  pursuing 
the  direction." 

"Did  you  expect  to  reach  it  by  such  haste?  Go,  go, 
you  talk  boldly  of  the  creatur's  of  the  Lord,  though  I 
plainly  see  you  are  but  a  child  in  matters  that  concern 
their  gifts  and  instincts.  What  a  plight  would  you  now 
be  in,  if  there  was  need  for  a  long  and  a  quick  push  with 
our  heels?" 

"The  fault  exists  in  the  formation  of  the  quadruped," 
said  Obed,  whose  placid  temper  began  to  revolt  under  so 
many  scandalous  imputations.  "Had  there  been  rotary 


THE   PRAIRIE  269 

levers  for  two  of  the  members,  a  moiety  of  the  fatigue 
would  have  been  saved,  for  one  item — 

"That,  for  your  moieties  and  rotaries  and  items,  man! 
a  jaded  ass  is  a  jaded  ass,  and  he  who  denies  it  is  but  a 
brother  of  the  beast  itself.  Now,  captain,  are  we  driven 
to  choose  one  of  two  evils.  We  must  either  abandon  this 
man,  who  has  been  too  much  with  us  through  good  and 
bad  to  be  easily  cast  away,  or  we  must  seek  a  cover  to 
let  the  animal  rest." 

"Venerable  venator!"  exclaimed  the  alarmed  Obed;  "I 
conjure  you  by  all  the  secret  sympathies  of  our  common 
nature,  by  all  the  hidden — • — 

"Ah,  fear  has  brought  him  to  talk  a  little  rational 
sense!  It  is  not  natur',  truly,  to  abandon  a  brother  in 
distress,  and  the  Lord  He  knows  that  I  have  never  yet 
done  the  shameful  deed.  You  are  right,  you  are  right; 
we  must  all  be  hidden,  and  that  speedily.  But  what  to 
do  with  the  ass!  Friend  Doctor,  do  you  truly  value  the 
life  of  the  creator'?" 

"He  is  an  ancient  and  faithful  servant,"  returned  the 
disconsolate  Obed,  "and  with  pain  should  I  see  him  come 
to  any  harm.  Fetter  his  lower  limbs,  and  leave  him  to 
repose  in  this  bed  of  herbage.  I  will  engage  he  shall  be 
found  where  he  is  left,  in  the  morning." 

"And  the  Sioux?  What  would  become  of  the  beast 
should  any  of  the  red  imps  catch  a  peep  at  his  ears,  grow 
ing  up  out  of  the  grass  like  two  mullein- tops?"  cried  the 
bee-hunter.  "They  would  stick  him  as  full  of  arrows  as 
a  woman's  cushion  is  full  of  pins,  and  then  believe  they 
had  done  the  job  for  the  father  of  all  rabbits!  My  word 
for  it  but  they  would  find  out  their  blunder  at  the  first 
mouthful!" 

Middleton,  who  began  to  grow  impatient  under  1 
protracted  discussion,  interposed,  and,  as  a  good  deal  of 
deference  was  paid  to  his  rank,  he  quickly  prevailed  in 
his  efforts  to  effect  a  sort  of  compromise.  The  humble 
Asinus,  too  meek  and  too  weary  to  make  any  resistance, 
was  soon  tethered  and  deposited  in  his  bed  of  dying  grass, 
where  he  was  left  with  a  perfect  confidence  on  the  part  of 
his  master  of  finding  him  again,  at  the  expiration  of  a 
few  hours.  The  old  man  strongly  remonstrated  against 


270  THE   PRAIRIE 

this  arrangement,  and  more  than  once  hinted  that  the 
knife  was  much  more  certain  than  the  tether;  but  the 
petitions  of  Obed,  aided  perhaps  by  the  secret  reluctance 
of  the  trapper  to  destroy  the  beast,  were  the  means  of 
saving  its  life.  When  Asinus  was  thus  secured,  and  as 
his  master  believed  secreted,  the  whole  party  proceeded 
to  find  some  place  where  they  might  rest  themselves 
during  the  time  required  for  the  repose  of  the  animal. 

According  to  the  calculations  of  the  trapper,  they  had 
ridden  twenty  miles  since  the  commencement  of  their 
flight.  The  delicate  frame  of  Inez  began  to  droop  under 
the  excessive  fatigue,  nor  was  the  more  robust,  but  still 
feminine  person  of  Ellen,  insensible  to  the  extraordinary 
effort  she  had  made.  Middleton  himself  was  not  sorry  to 
repose,  nor  did  the  vigorous  and  high-spirited  Paul  hesi 
tate  to  confess  that  he  should  be  all  the  better  for  a  little 
rest.  The  old  man  alone  seemed  indifferent  to  the  usual 
claims  of  nature.  Although  but  little  accustomed  to  the 
unusual  description  of  exercise  he  had  just  been  taking, 
he  appeared  to  bid  defiance  to  all  the  usual  attacks  of 
human  infirmities.  Though  evidently  so  near  its  disso 
lution,  his  attenuated  frame  still  stood  like  the  shaft  of 
seasoned  oak,  dry,  naked,  and  tempest-riven,  but  unbend 
ing,  and  apparently  indurated  to  the  consistency  of  stone. 
On  the  present  occasion  he  conducted  the  search  for  a 
resting-place,  which  was  immediately  commenced,  with 
all  the  energy  of  youth,  tempered  by  the  discretion  and 
experience  of  his  great  age. 

The  bed  of  grass  in  which  the  Doctor  had  been  met, 
and  in  which  his  ass  had  just  been  left,  was  followed  a 
little  distance,  until  it  was  found  that  the  rolling  swells 
of  the  prairie  were  melting  away  into  one  vast  level  plain, 
that  was  covered,  for  miles^  on  miles,  with  the  same 
species  of  herbage. 

"Ah,  this  may  do — this  may  do, "  said  the  old  man, 
when  they  arrived  on  the  borders  of  this  sea  of  withered 
grass.  "I  know  the  spot,  and  often  have  I  lain  in  its 
secret  holes,  for  days  at  a  time,  while  the  savages  have 
been  hunting  the  buffaloes  on  the  open  ground.  We  must 
enter  it  with  great  care,  for  a  broad  trail  might  be  seen, 
and  Indian  curiosity  is  a  dangerous  neighbor." 


THE   PRAIRIE  271 

Leading  the  way  himself,  he  selected  a  spot  where  the 
tall,  coarse  herbage  stood  most  erect,  growing  not  unlike 
a  bed  of  trees,  both  in  height  and  density.  Here  he  en 
tered,  singly,  directing  the  others  to  follow  as  nearly  as 
possible  in  his  own  footsteps.  When  they  had  passed  for 
some  hundred  or  two  feet  into  the  wilderness  of  weeds, 
he  gave  his  directions  to  Paul  and  Middleton,  who  con 
tinued  a  direct  route  deeper  into  the  place,  while  he  dis 
mounted  and  returned  on  his  tracks  to  the  margin  of  the 
meadow.  Here  he  passed  many  minutes  in  replacing  the 
trodden  grass,  and  in  effacing,  as  far  as  possible,  every 
eivdence  of  their  passage. 

In  the  meantime  the  rest  of  the  party  continued  their 
progress,  not  without  toil,  and  consequently  at  a  very 
moderate  gait,  until  they  had  penetrated  a  mile  into  the 
place.  Here  they  found  a  spot  suited  to  their  circum 
stances,  and,  dismounting,  they  began  to  make  their  dis 
positions  to  pass  the  remainder  of  the  night.  By  this 
time  the  trapper  had  rejoined  the  party,  and  again  re 
sumed  the  direction  of  their  proceedings. 

The  weeds  and  grass  were  soon  plucked  and  cut  from 
an  area  of  sufficient  extent,  and  a  bed  for  Inez  and  Ellen 
was  speedily  made,  a  little  apart,  which  for  sweetness 
and  ease  might  have  rivaled  one  of  down.  The  exhausted 
females,  after  receiving  some  light  refreshments  from 
the  provident  stores  of  Paul  and  the  old  man,  now  sought 
their  repose,  leaving  their  more  stout  companions  at 
liberty  to  provide  for  their  own  necessities.  Middleton 
and  Paul  were  not  long  in  following  the  example  of  their 
betrothed,  leaving  the  trapper  and  the  naturalist  sti 
seated  around  a  savory  dish  of  bison's  meat,  which  had 
been  cooked  at  a  previous  halt,  and  which  was,  as  usual, 
eaten  cold. 

A  certain  lingering  sensation,  which  had  so  long 
uppermost  in  the  mind  of  Obed,   temporarily  banished 
sleep;  and  as  for  the  old  man,  his  wants  were  rendered, 
by  habit  and  necessity,  as  seemingly  subject  to  his  will  as 
if  they  altogether  depended  on  the  pleasure  of  the  mo 
ment.    Like  his  companion,  he  chose,  therefore,  to  wat< 
instead  of  sleeping. 

"If  the  children  of  ease  and  security  knew  the  hardships 


272  THE   PRAIRIE 

and  dangers  the  students  of  nature  encounter  in  their 
behalf,"  said  Obed,  after  a  moment  of  silence  when  Mid- 
dleton  took  his  leave  for  the  night,  "pillars  of  silver  and 
statues  of  brass  would  be  reared  as  the  everlasting  monu 
ments  of  their  glory!" 

"I  know  not— I  know  not, "  returned  his  companion; 
"silver  is  far  from  plenty,  at  least  in  the  wilderness,  and 
your  brazen  idols  are  forbidden  in  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord." 

"Such  indeed  was  the  opinion  of  the  great  law-giver  of 
the  Jews,  but  the  Egyptians  and  the  Chaldeans,  the  Greeks 
and  the  Romans,  were  wont  to  manifest  their  gratitude 
in  these  types  of  the  human  form.  Indeed,  many  of  the 
illustrious  masters  of  antiquity  have,  by  the  aid  of  science 
and  skill,  even  outdone  the  works  of  nature,  and  exhibited 
a  beauty  and  perfection  in  the  human  form  that  are  diffi 
cult  to  be  found  in  the  rarest  living  specimens  of  any  of 
the  species;  genus,  homo." 

"Can  your  idols  walk  or  speak,  or  have  they  the  glorious 
gift  of  reason?"  demanded  the  trapper,  with  some  indig 
nation  in  his  voice;  "though  but  little  given  to  run  into 
the  noise  and  chatter  of  the  settlements,  yet  I  have  been 
into  the  towns  in  my  day,  to  barter  the  peltry  for  lead 
and  powder,  and  often  have  I  seen  your  waxen  dolls  with 
their  tawdry  clothes  and  glass  eyes — 

"Waxen  dolls!"  interrupted  Obed;  "it  is  profanation, 
in  the  view  of  the  arts,  to  liken  the  miserable  handiwork 
of  the  dealers  in  wax  to  the  pure  models  of  antiquity!" 

"It  is  profanation  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,"  retorted 
the  old  man,  "to  liken  the  works  of  his  creatures  to  the 
power  of  his  own  hand." 

"Venerable  venator, "  resumed  the  naturalist,  clearing 
his  throat  like  one  who  was  much  in  earnest,  "let  us  dis 
cuss  understand ingly  and  in  amity.  You  speak  of  the 
dross  of  ignorance,  whereas  my  memory  dwells  on  those 
precious  jewels  which  it  was  my  happy  fortune  formerly 
to  witness  among  the  treasured  glories  of  the  Old  World." 

"Old  World!"  retorted  the  trapper,  "that  is  the 
miserable  cry  of  all  the  half-starved  miscreants  that  have 
come  into  this  blessed  land  since  the  days  of  my  boyhood! 
They  tell  you  of  the  Old  World;  as  if  the  Lord  had  not 


THE   PRAIRIE  273 

the  power  and  the  will  to  create  the  universe  in  a  day,  or 
as  if  He  had  not  bestowed  his  gifts  with  an  equal  hand, 
though  not  with  an  equal  mind,  or  equal  wisdom,  have 
they  been  received  and  used.  Were  they  to  say  a  worn- 
out,  and  an  abused,  and  a  sacrilegious  world,  they  might 
not  be  so  far  from  the  truth!" 

Dr.  Battius,  who  found  it  quite  as  arduous  a  task  to 
maintain  any  of  his  favorite  positions  with  so  irregular 
an  antagonist,  as  he  would  have  found  it  difficult  to  keep 
his  feet  within  the  hug  of  a  Western  wrestler,  hemmed 
aloud,  and  profited  by  the  new  opening  the  trapper  had 
made,  to  shift  the  grounds  of  the  discussion. 

"By  Old  and  New  World,  my  excellent  associate,"  he 
said,  "it  is  not  to  be  understood  that  the  hills  and  the 
valleys,  the  rocks  and  the  rivers  of  our  own  moiety  of  the 
earth  do  not,  physically  speaking,  bear  a  date  as  ancient 
as  the  spot  on  which  the  bricks  of  Babylon  are  found;  it 
merely  signifies  that  its  moral  existence  is  not  coequal 
with  its  physical  or  geological  formation." 

"Anan!"  said  the  old  man,  looking  up  inquiringly  into 
the  face  of  the  philosopher. 

"Merely  that  it  has  not  been  so  long  known  in  morals, 
as  the  other  countries  of  Christendom." 

"So  much  the  better— so  much  the  better.  I  am  no 
great  admirator  of  your  old  morals,  as  you  call  them,  for 
I  have  ever  found,  and  I  have  lived  long  as  it  were  in  the 
very  heart  of  natur',  that  your  old  morals  are  none  of  the 
best.  Mankind  twist  and  turn  the  rules  of  the  Lord,  to 
suit  their  own  wickedness,  when  their  devilish  cunning 
has  had  too  much  time  to  trifle  with  his  commands." 

"Nay,  venerable  hunter,  still  am  I  not  comprehended. 
By  morals  I  do  not  mean  the  limited  and  literal  signifi 
cation  of  the  term,  such  as  is  conveyed  in  its  synonym, 
morality,  but  the  practises  of  men,  as  connected  with 
their  daily  intercourse,  their  institutions,  and  their  laws. 

"And  such  I  call  barefaced  and  downright  wantonness 
and  waste,"  interrupted  his  sturdy  disputant. 

"Well   be  it  so,"  returned  the  Doctor,  abandonm 
explanation  in  despair.     "Perhaps  I  have  conceded  too 
much  "  he  then  instantly  added,  fancying  that 
saw  the  glimmerings  of  an  argument  through  a 
18 


274  THE  PRAIRIE 

chink  in  the  discourse.  "Perhaps  I  have  conceded  too 
much  in  saying  that  this  hemisphere  is  literally  as  old 
in  its  formation  as  that  which  embraces  the  venerable 
quarters  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa." 

"It  is  easy  to  say  a  pine  is  not  so  tall  as  an  alder,  but 
it  would  be  hard  to  prove.  Can  you  give  a  reason  for 
such  a  belief?" 

'  'The  reasons  are  numerous  and  powerful, ' '  returned  the 
Doctor,  delighted  by  this  encouraging  opening.  "Look 
into  the  plains  of  Egypt  and  Arabia;  their  sandy  deserts 
teem  with  the  monuments  of  their  antiquity;  and  then 
we  have  also  recorded  documents  of  their  glory,  doubling 
the  proofs  of  their  former  greatness,  now  that  they  lie 
stripped  of  their  fertility,  while  we  look  in  vain  for 
similar  evidences  that  man  has  ever  reached  the  summit 
of  civilization  on  this  continent,  or  search,  without  our 
reward,  for  the  path  by  which  he  has  made  the  downward 
journey  to  his  present  condition  of  second  childhood." 

"And  what  see  you  in  all  this?"  demanded  the  trapper, 
who,  though  a  little  confused  by  the  terms  of  his  com 
panion,  seized  the  thread  of  his  ideas. 

"A  demonstration  of  my  problem,  that  nature  did  not 
make  so  vast  a  region  to  lie  an  uninhabited  waste  so  many 
ages.  This  is  merely  the  moral  view  of  the  subject;  as 
to  the  more  exact  and  geological — 

"Your  morals  are  exact  enough  for  me,"  returned  the 
old  man,  "for  I  think  I  see  in  them  the  very  pride  of 
folly.  I  am  but  little  gifted  in  the  fables  of  what  you 
call  the  Old  World,  seeing  that  my  time  has  been  mainly 
passed  looking  natur'  steadily  in  the  face,  and  in  reason 
ing  on  what  I've  seen  rather  than  on  what  I've  heard  in 
traditions.  But  I  have  never  shut  my  ears  to  the  words 
of  the  good  book,  and  many  is  the  long  winter  evening 
that  I  have  passed  in  the  wigwams  of  the  Delawares, 
listening  to  the  good  Moravians,  as  they  dealt  forth  the 
history  and  doctrines  of  the  elder  times,  to  the  people  of 
the  Lenape!  It  was  pleasant  to  hearken  to  such  wisdom 
after  a  weary  hunt!  Right  pleasant  did  I  find  it,  and 
often  have  I  talked  the  matter  over  with  the  Great  Ser 
pent  of  the  Delawares,  in  the  more  peaceful  hours  of 
our  outlyings,  whether  it  might  be  on  the  trail  of  a  war- 


THE  PRAIRIE  275 

party  of  the  Mingoes,  or  on  the  watch  for  a  York  deer  I 
remember  to  have  heard  it,  then  and  there,  said,  that  the 
Blessed  Land  was  once  fertile  as  the  bottoms  of  the  Mis 
sissippi,  and  groaning  with  its  stores  of  grain  and  fruits; 
but  that  the  judgment  has  since  fallen  upon  it,  and  that 
it  is  now  more  remarkable  for  its  barrenness  than  any 
qualities  to  boast  of." 

"It  is  true;  but  Egypt — nay,  much  of  Africa— furnishes 
still  more  striking  proofs  of  this  exhaustion  of  nature." 

"Tell  me,"  interrupted  the  old  man,  "is  it  a  certain 
truth  that  buildings  are  still  standing  in  that  Land  of 
Pharaoh,  which  may  be  likened,  in  their  stature,  to  the 
hills  of  the  'arth?" 

"It  is  as  true  as  that  nature  never  refuses  to  bestow  her 
incisors  on  the  animals,  mammalia;  genus,  homo " 

"It  is  very  marvelous;  and  it  proves  how  great  He 
must  be,  when  his  miserable  creatur's  can  accomplish 
such  wonders!  Many  men  must  have  been  needed  to  finish 
such  an  edifice;  ay,  and  men  gifted  with  strength  and 
skill,  too!  Does  the  land  abound  with  such  a  race  to  this 
hour?" 

"Far  from  it.  Most  of  the  country  is  a  desert,  and 
but  for  a  mighty  river,  all  would  be  so." 

"Yes;  rivers  are  rare  gifts  to  such  as  till  the  ground, 
as  any  one  may  see  who  journeys  far  atween  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  the  Mississippi.  But  how  do  you  account 
for  these  changes  on  the  face  of  the  'arth  itself,  and  for 
this  downfall  of  nations,  you  men  of  the  schools?" 

"It  is  to  be  ascribed  to  moral  cau 

"You're  right — it  is  their  morals;  their  wickedness 
and  their  pride,  and  chiefly  their  waste,  that  has  done  it 
all!  Now  listen  to  what  the  experience  of  an  old  man 
teaches  him.  I  have  lived  long,  as  these  gray  hairs  and 
wrinkled  hands  will  show,  even  though  my  tongue  should 
fail  in  the  wisdom  of  my  years.  And  I  have  seen  much 
of  the  folly  of  man;  for  his  natur'  is  the  same,  be  he 
born  in  the  wilderness,  or  be  he  born  in  the  towns.  To 
my  weak  judgment  it  hath  ever  seemed  that  his  gifts  are 
not  equal  to  his  wishes.  That  he  would  mount  into  the 
heavens,  with  all  his  deformities  about  him,  if  he  only 
knew  the  road,  no  one  will  gainsay,  tha,t  witnesses  his 


276  THE   PRAIRIE 

bitter  strivings  upon  'arth.  If  his  power  is  not  equal  to 
his  will,  it  is  because  the  wisdom  of  the  Lord  hath  set 
bounds  to  his  evil  workings." 

"It  is  much  too  certain  that  certain  facts  will  warrant 
a  theory,  which  teaches  the  natural  depravity  of  the  genus ; 
but  if  science  could  be  fairly  brought  to  bear  on  a  whole 
species  at  once,  for  instance,  education  might  eradicate 
the  evil  principle." 

"That,  for  your  education!  The  time  has  been  when  I 
have  thought  it  possible  to  make  a  companion  of  a  beast. 
Many  are  the  cubs,  and  many  are  the  speckled  fawns  that 
I  have  reared  with  these  old  hands,  until  I  have  even 
fancied  them  rational  and  altered  beings — but  what  did  it 
amount  to?  the  bear  would  bite,  and  the  deer  would  run, 
notwithstanding  my  wicked  conceit  in  fancying  that  I 
could  change  a  temper  that  the  Lord  himself  had  seen  fit 
to  bestow.  Now  if  man  is  so  blinded  in  his  folly  as  to 
go  on,  ages  on  ages,  doing  harm  chiefly  to  himself,  there 
is  the  same  reason  to  think  that  he  has  wrought  his  evil 
here  as  in  the  countries  you  call  so  old.  Look  about  you, 
man;  where  are  the  multitudes  that  once  peopled  these 
prairies;  the  kings  and  the  palaces;  the  riches  and  the 
mightinesses  of  this  desert?" 

"Where  are  the  monuments  that  would  prove  the  truth 
of  so  vague  a  theory?" 

"I  know  not  what  you  call  a  monument." 

"The  works  of  man!  The  glories  of  Thebes,  and  Baal- 
bee:  columns,  catacombs,  and  pyramids!  standing  amid 
the  sands  of  the  East,  like  wrecks  on  a  rocky  shore,  to 
testify  to  the  storms  of  ages!" 

"They  are  gone.  Time  has  lasted  too  long  for  them. 
For  why?  Time  was  made  by  the  Lord,  and  they  were 
made  by  man.  This  very  spot  of  reeds  and  grass,  on 
which  you  now  sit,  may  once  have  been  the  garden  of 
some  mighty  king.  It  is  the  fate  of  all  things  to  ripen, 
and  then  to  decay.  The  tree  blossoms,  and  bears  its  fruit, 
which  falls,  rots,  withers,  and  even  the  seed  is  lost!  Go, 
count  the  rings  of  the  oak  and  of  the  sycamore;  they  lie 
in  circles,  one  about  another,  until  the  eye  is  blinded  in 
striving  to  make  out  their  numbers;  and  yet  a  full  change 
of  the  seasons  comes  round  while  the  stem  is  winding  one 


THE   PRAIRIE  277 

of  these  little  lines  about  itself,  like  the  buffalo  changing 
his  coat,  or  the  buck  his  horns;  and  what  does  it  all 
amount  to?  There  does  the  noble  tree  fill  its  place  in  the 
forest,  loftier,  and  grander,  and  richer,  and  more  difficult 
to  imitate,  than  any  of  your  pitiful  pillars,  for  a  thousand 
years,  until  the  time  which  the  Lord  hath  given  it  is  full. 
Then  come  the  winds,  that  you  cannot  see,  to  rive  its 
bark;  and  the  waters  from  the  heavens,  to  soften  its 
pores;  and  the  rot,  which  all  can  feel  and  none  can  under 
stand,  to  humble  its  pride  and  bring  it  to  the  ground. 
From  that  moment  its  beauty  begins  to  perish.  It  lies 
another  hundred  years,  a  mouldering  log,  and  then  a 
mound  of  moss  and  'arth;  a  sad  effigy  of  a  human  grave. 
This  is  one  of  your  genuine  monuments,  though  made  by 
a  very  different  power  than  such  as  belongs  to  your  chisel 
ing  masonry!  and  after  all,  the  cunningest  scout  of  the 
whole  Dahcotah  nation  might  pass  his  life  in  searching 
for  the  spot  where  it  fell,  and  be  no  wiser  when  his  eyes 
grew  dim,  than  when  they  were  first  opened.  As  if  that 
was  not  enough  to  convince  man  of  his  ignorance;  and  as 
though  it  were  put  there  in  mockery  of  his  conceit,  a 
pine  shoots  up  from  the  roots  of  the  oak,  just  as  barren 
ness  comes  after  fertility,  or  as  these  wastes  have  been 
spread,  where  a  garden  may  have  been  created.  Tell  me 
not  of  your  worlds  that  are  old!  it  is  blasphemous  to  set 
bounds  and  seasons,  in  this  manner,  to  the  works  of  the 
Almighty,  like  a  woman  counting  the  ages  of  her  young." 

"Friend  hunter,  or  trapper,"  returned  the  naturalist, 
clearing  his  throat  in  some  intellectual  confusion  at  the 
vigorous  attack  of  his  companion,  "your  deductions,  if 
admitted  by  the  world,  would  sadly  circumscribe  the 
efforts  of  reason,  and  much  abridge  the  boundaries  of 
knowledge. ' ' 

"So  much  the  better— so  much  the  better;  for  I  have 
always  found  that  a  conceited  man  never  knows  content. 
All  things  prove  it.  Why  have  we  not  the  wings  of  the 
pigeon,  the  eyes  of  the  eagle,  and  the  legs  of  the  moose, 
if  it  had  been  intended  that  man  should  be  equal  to  all 
his  wishes?" 

"There  are  certain  physical  defects,  venerable  trapper, 
in  which  I  am  always  ready  to  admit  great  and  happy 


278  THE   PRAIRIE 

alterations  might  be  suggested.  For  example,  in  my  own 
order  of  Phalangacru — 

"Cruel  enough  would  be  the  order  that  should  come 
from  miserable  hands  like  thine!  A  touch  from  such  a 
finger  would  destroy  the  mocking  deformity  of  a  monkey! 
Go,  go;  human  folly  is  not  needed  to  fill  up  the  great 
design  of  God.  There  is  no  stature,  no  beauty,  no  pro 
portions,  nor  any  colors  in  which  man  himself  can  well 
be  fashioned,  that  is  not  already  done  to  his  hands." 

"That  is  touching  another  great  and  much  disputed 
question,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  who  seized  upon  every 
distinct  idea  that  the  ardent  and  somewhat  dogmatic  old 
man  left  exposed  to  his  mental  grasp,  with  the  vain  hope 
of  inducing  a  logical  discussion,  in  which  he  might  bring 
his  battery  of  syllogisms  to  annihilate  the  unscientific 
defenses  of  his  antagonist. 

It  is,  however,  unnecessary  to  our  narrative  to  relate 
the  erratic  discourse  that  ensued.  The  old  man  eluded 
the  annihilating  blows  of  his  adversary,  as  the  light-armed 
soldier  is  wont  to  escape  the  efforts  of  the  more  regular 
warrior,  even  while  he  annoys  him  most;  and  an  hour 
passed  away  without  bringing  any  of  the  numerous  sub 
jects,  on  which  they  touched,  to  a  satisfactory  conclusion. 
The  argument  acted,  however,  on  the  nervous  system  of 
the  Doctor  like  so  many  soothing  soporifics;  and  by  the 
time  his  aged  companion  was  disposed  to  lay  his  head  on 
his  pack,  Obed,  refreshed  by  his  recent  mental  joust,  was 
in  a  condition  to  seek  his  natural  rest,  without  enduring 
the  torments  of  the  incubus,  in  the  shape  of  Teton 
warriors  and  bloody  tomahawks. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

"  Save  you,  sir. " 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  sleep  of  the  fugitives  lasted  for  several  hours. 
The  trapper  was  the  first  to  shake  off  its  influence,  as  he 
had  been  the  last  to  court  its  refreshment.  Rising,  just 
as  the  gray  light  of  day  began  to  brighten  that  portion 
of  the  studded  vault  which  rested  on  the  eastern  margin 
of  the  plain,  he  summoned  his  companions  from  their 
warm  lairs,  and  pointed  out  the  necessity  of  their  being 
once  more  on  the  alert.  While  Middleton  attended  to  the 
arrangements  necessary  to  the  comforts  of  Inez  and  Ellen, 
in  the  long  and  painful  journey  which  lay  before  them, 
the  old  man  and  Paul  prepared  the  meal,  which  the  former 
had  advised  them  to  take  before  they  proceeded  to  horse. 
These  several  dispositions  were  not  long  in  making,  and 
the  little  group  was  soon  seated  about  a  repast  which, 
though  it  might  want  the  elegances  to  which  the  bride  of 
Middleton  had  been  accustomed,  was  not  deficient  in  the 
more  important  requisites  of  savor  and  nutriment. 

"When  we  get  lower  into  the  hunting-grounds  of  the 
Pawnees,"  said  the  trapper,  laying  a  morsel  of  delicate 
venison  before  Inez,  on  a  little  trencher  neatly  made  of 
horn,  and  expressly  for  his  own  use,  "we  shall  find  the 
buffaloes  fatter  and  sweeter,  the  deer  in  more  abundance, 
and  all  the  gifts  of  the  Lord  abounding  to  satisfy  our 
wants.  Perhaps  we  may  even  strike  a  beaver,  and  get  a 
morsel  from  his  tail1  by  way  of  a  rare  mouthful." 

"What  course  do  you  mean  to  pursue,  when  you  have 
once  thrown  these  bloodhounds  from  the  chase?"  demanded 
Middleton. 

"If  I  might  advise,"  said  Paul,  "it  would  be  to  strike 
a  water-course,  and  get  upon  its  downward  current  as 

lrThe  American  hunters  consider  the  tail  of  the  beaver  the  most  nourishing  of 
all  food. 

279 


280  THE   PRAIRIE 

soon  as  may  be.  Give  me  a  cottonwood,  and  I  will  turn 
you  out  a  canoe  that  shall  carry  us  all,  the  jackass  excepted, 
in  perhaps  the  work  of  a  day  and  a  night.  Ellen,  here, 
is  a  lively  girl  enough,  but  then  she  is  no  great  race- 
rider;  and  it  would  be  far  more  comfortable  to  boat  six 
or^eight  hundred  miles,  than  to  go  loping  along  like  so 
many  elks  measuring  the  prairies;  besides,  water  leaves 
no  trail." 

"1  will  not  swear  to  that,"  returned  the  trapper;  "I 
have  often  thought  the  eyes  of  a  red-skin  would  find  a 
trail  in  air." 

"See,  Middleton, "  exclaimed  Inez,  in  a  sudden  burst 
of  youthful  pleasure,  that  caused  her  for  a  moment  to 
forget  her  situation,  "how  lovely  is  that  sky;  surely  it 
contains  a  promise  of  happier  times!" 

"It  is  glorious!"  returned  her  husband.  "Glorious 
and  heavenly  is  that  streak  of  vivid  red,  and  here  is  a 
still  brighter  crimson;  rarely  have  I  seen  a  richer  rising 
of  the  sun. ' ' 

"Rising  of  the  sun!"  slowly  repeated  the  old  man, 
lifting  his  tall  person  from  its  seat  with  a  deliberate  and 
abstracted  air,  while  he  kept  his  eye  riveted  on  the  chang 
ing  and  certainly  beautiful  tints,  that  were  garnishing 
the  vault  of  heaven.  "Rising  of  the  sun!  I  like  not  such 
risings  of  the  sun.  Ah's  me!  the  imps  have  circumvented 
us  with  a  vengeance.  The  prairie  is  on  fire!" 

"God  in  heaven  protect  us!"  cried  Middleton,  catching 
Inez  to  his  bosom,  under  the  instant  impression  of  the 
imminence  of  their  danger.  "There  is  no  time  to  lose, 
old  man;  each  instant  is  a  day;  let  us  fly!" 

"Whither?"  demanded  the  trapper,  motioning  him, 
with  calmness  and  dignity,  to  arrest  his  steps.  "In  this 
wilderness  of  grass  and  reeds,  you  are  like  a  vessel  in  the 
broad  lakes  without  a  compass.  A  single  step  on  the 
wrong  course  might  prove  the  destruction  of  us  all.  It  is 
seldom  danger  is  so  pressing,  that  there  is  not  time 
enough  for  reason  to  do  its  work,  young  officer;  therefore 
let  us  await  its  biddings." 

"For  my  own  part,"  said  Paul  Hover,  looking  about 
him  with  no  equivocal  expression  of  concern,  "I  acknowl 
edge,  that  should  this  dry  bed  of  weeds  get  fairly  in  a 


THE   PRAIRIE  281 

flame,  a  bee  would  have  to  make  a  flight  higher  than 
common  to  prevent  his  wings  from  scorching.  Therefore, 
old  trapper,  I  agree  with  the  captain,  and  say,  mount 
and  run." 

"Ye  are  wrong— ye  are  wrong;  man  is  not  a  beast  to 
follow  the  gift  of  instinct,  and  to  snuff  up  his  knowledge 
by  a  taint  in  the  air,  or  a  rumbling  in  the  sound;  but  he 
must  see  and  reason,  and  then  conclude.  So  follow  me  a 
little  to  the  left,  where  there  is  a  rise  in  the  ground, 
whence  we  may  make  our  reconnoiterings. " 

The  old  man  waved  his  hand  with  authority,  and  led 
the  way  without  further  parlance  to  the  spot  he  had  indi 
cated,  followed  by  the  whole  of  his  alarmed  companions. 
An  eye  less  practised  than  that  of  the  trapper  might  have 
failed  in  discovering  the  gentle  elevation  to  which  he 
alluded,  and  which  looked  on  the  surface  of  the  meadow 
like  a  growth  a  little  taller  than  common.  When  they 
reached  the  place,  however,  the  stinted  grass  itself  an 
nounced  the  absence  of  that  moisture,  which  had  fed  the 
rank  weeds  of  most  of  the  plain,  and  furnished  a  clue  to 
the  evidence  by  which  he  had  judged  of  the  formation  of 
the  ground  hidden  beneath.  Here  a  few  minutes  were 
lost  in  breaking  down  the  tops  of  the  surrounding  herb 
age,  which,  notwithstanding  the  advantage  of  their  posi 
tion,  rose  even  above  the  heads  of  Middleton  and  Paul,  and 
in  obtaining  a  lookout  that  might  command  a  view  of  the 
surrounding  sea  of  fire. 

The  frightful  prospect  added  nothing  to  the  hopes  of 
those  who  had  so  fearful  a  stake  in  the  result.  Although 
the  day  was  beginning  to  dawn,  the  vivid  colors  of  the 
sky  continued  to  deepen,  as  if  the  fierce  element  were 
bent  on  an  impious  rivalry  of  the  light  of  the  sun.  Bright 
flashes  of  flame  shot  up  here  and  there,  along  the  margin 
of  the  waste,  like  the  nimble  coruscations  of  the  North, 
but  far  more  angry  and  threatening  in  their  color  and 
changes.  The  anxiety  on  the  rigid  features  of  the  trapper 
sensibly  deepened,  as  he  leisurely  traced  these  evidences 
of  a  conflagration,  which  spread  in  a  broad  belt  about 
their  place  of  refuge,  until  he  had  encircled  the  whole 
horizon. 

Shaking  his  head,  as  he  again  turned  his  face  to  the 


282  THE   PRAIRIE 

point  where  the  danger  seemed  nighest  and  most  rapidly 
approaching,  the  old  man  said : 

"Now  have  we  been  cheating  ourselves  with  the  belief 
that  we  had  thrown  these  Tetons  from  our  trail,  while 
here  is  proof  enough  that  they  not  only  know  where  we 
lie,  but  that  they  intend  to  smoke  us  out,  like  so  many 
skulking  beasts  of  prey.  See;  they  have  lighted  the  fire 
around  the  whole  bottom  at  the  same  moment,  and  we 
are  as  completely  hemmed  in  by  the  devils  as  an  island 
by  its  waters." 

"Let  us  mount  and  ride!"  cried  Middleton;  "is  life  not 
worth  a  struggle?" 

"Whither  would  ye  go?  Is  a  Teton  horse  a  salamander 
that  can  walk  amid  fiery  flames  unhurt,  or  do  you  think 
the  Lord  will  show  his  might  in  your  behalf,  as  in  the 
days  of  old,  and  carry  you  harmless  through  such  a  fur 
nace  as  you  may  see  glowing  beneath  yonder  red  sky?  There 
are  Sioux,  too,  hemming  the  fire  with  their  arrows  and 
knives  on  every  side  of  us,  or  I  am  no  judge  of  their  mur 
derous  deviltries." 

"We  will  ride  into  the  center  of  the  whole  tribe,"  re 
turned  the  youth  fiercely;  "and  put  their  manhood  to  the 
test." 

"Ay,  it's  well  in  words,  but  what  would  it  prove  in 
deeds?  Here  is  a  dealer  in  bees,  who  can  teach  you  wis 
dom  in  a  matter  like  this. ' ' 

"Now for  that  matter,  old  trapper,"  said  Paul,  stretch 
ing  his  athletic  form  like  a  mastiff  conscious  of  his 
strength,  "I  am  on  the  side  of  the  captain,  and  am  clearly 
for  a  race  against  the  fire,  though  it  line  me  into  a  Teton 
wigwam.  Here  is  Ellen,  who  will — 

"Of  what  use,  of  what  use  are  your  stout  hearts,  when 
the  element  of  the  Lord  is  to  be  conquered  as  well  as 
human  men?  Look  about  you,  friends;  the  wreath  of 
smoke,  that  is  rising  from  the  bottoms,  plainly  says  that 
there  is  no  outlet  from  the  spot,  without  crossing  a  belt 
of  fire.  Look  for  yourselves,  my  men ;  look  for  yourselves ; 
if  you  can  find  a  single  opening,  I  will  engage  to  follow." 

The  examination,  which  his  companions  so  instantly  and 
so  intently  made,  rather  served  to  assure  them  of  their 
desperate  situation,  than  to  appease  their  fears.  Huge 


THE   PRAIRIE  283 

columns  of  smoke  rolling  up  from  the  plain,  and  thicken 
ing  in  gloomy  masses  around  the  horizon;  the  red  glow 
which  gleamed  upon  their  enormous  folds,  now  lighting 
their  volumes  with  the  glare  of  the  conflagration,  and 
now  flashing  to  another  point,  as  the  flame  beneath  glided 
ahead,  leaving  all  behind  enveloped  in  awful  darkness, 
and  proclaiming  louder  than  words  the  character  of  the 
imminent  and  approaching  danger. 

' 'This  is  terrible!"  exclaimed  Middleton,  folding  the 
trembling  Inez  to  his  heart.  "At  such  a  time  as  this,  and 
in  such  a  manner!" 

"The  gates  of  heaven  are  open  to  all  who  truly  believe, " 
murmured  the  pious  devotee  in  his  bosom. 

"This  resignation  is  maddening!  But  we  are  men,  and 
will  make  a  struggle  for  our  lives!  How  now,  my  brave 
and  spirited  friend,  shall  we  yet  mount  and  push  across 
the  flames,  or  shall  we  stand  here,  and  see  those  we  most 
love  perish  in  this  frightful  manner,  without  an  effort?" 

"I  am  for  a  swarming  time  and  a  flight  before  the  hive 
is  too  hot  to  hold  us,"  said  the  bee-hunter,  to  whom  it 
will  be  at  once  seen  that  Middleton  addressed  himself. 
"Come,  old  trapper,  you  must  acknowledge  this  is  but  a 
slow  way  o~Z  getting  out  of  danger.  If  we  tarry  here  much 
longer,  it  will  be  in  the  fashion  that  the  bees  lie  around 
the  straw  after  the  hive  has  been  smoked  for  its  honey. 
You  may  hear  the  fire  begin  to  roar  already,  and  I  know 
by  experience,  that  when  the  flames  once  gets  fairly  into 
the  prairie  grass,  it  is  no  sloth  that  can  outrun  it." 

"Think  you,"  returned  the  old  man,  pointing  scornfully 
at  the  mazes  of  the  dry  and  matted  grass  which  environed 
them,  "that  mortal  feet  can  outstrip  the  speed  of  fire  on 
such  a  path!  If  I  only  knew  now  on  which  side  these  mis 
creants  lay!" 

"What  say  you,  friend  Doctor,"  cried  the  bewildered 
Paul,  turning  to  the  naturalist  with  that  sort  of  helpless 
ness  with  which  the  strong  are  often  apt  to  seek  aid  of  the 
weak  when  human  power  is  baffled  by  the  hand  of  a 
mightier  Being;  "what  say  you;  have  you  no  advice  to 
give  away  in  a  case  of  life  and  death?" 

The  naturalist  stood,  tablets  in  hand,  looking  at  the 
awful  spectacle  with  as  much  composure  as  if  the  confla- 


284  THE   PRAIRIE 

gration  had  been  lighted  in  order  to  solve  the  difficulties  of 
some  scientific  problem.  Aroused  by  the  question  of  his 
companion,  he  turned  to  his  equally  calm  though  differ 
ently  occupied  associate,  the  trapper,  demanding  with  the 
most  provoking  insensibility  to  the  urgent  nature  of  their 
situation. 

"Venerable  hunter,  you  have  often  witnessed  similar 
prismatic  experiments — 

He  was  rudely  interrupted  by  Paul,  who  struck  the 
tablets  from  his  hands  with  a  violence  that  betrayed  the 
utter  intellectual  confusion  which  had  overset  the  equa 
nimity  of  his  mind.  Before  time  was  allowed  for  remon 
strance,  the  old  man,  who  had  continued  during  the  whole 
scene  like  one  much  at  loss  how  to  proceed,  though  also 
like  one  who  was  rather  perplexed  than  alarmed,  sud 
denly  assumed  a  decided  air,  if  as  he  no  longer  doubted 
on  the  course  it  was  most  advisable  to  pursue. 

"It  is  time  to  be  doing,"  he  said,  interrupting  the  con 
troversy  that  was  about  to  ensue  between  the  naturalist 
and  the  bee-hunter;  "it  is  time  to  leave  off  books  and 
meanings,  and  to  be  doing." 

"You  have  come  to  your  recollections  too  late,  miser 
able  old  man,"  cried  Middleton;  "the  flames  are  within  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  of  us,  and  the  wind  is  bringing  them 
down  in  this  quarter  with  dreadful  rapidity." 

"Anan!  the  flames!  I  care  but  little  for  the  flames.  If 
I  only  knew  how  to  circumvent  the  cunning  of  the  Tetons 
as  I  know  how  to  cheat  the  fire  of  its  prey,  there  would  be 
nothing  needed  but  thanks  to  the  Lord  for  our  deliverance. 
Do  you  call  this  a  fire?  If  you  had  seen  what  I  have  wit 
nessed  in  the  Eastern  hills,  when  mighty  mountains  were 
like  the  furnace  of  a  smith,  you  would  have  known  what 
it  was  to  fear  the  flames  and  to  be  thankful  that  you  were 
spared!  Come,  lads,  come;  'tis  time  to  be  doing  now, 
and  to  cease  talking;  for  yonder  curling  flame  is  truly 
coming  on  like  a  trotting  moose.  Put  hands  upon  this 
short  and  withered  grass  where  we  stand,  and  lay  bare 
the  'arth."1  

1  A  wise  expedient  for  quenching  the  flames,  or  arresting  their  progress.  "The 
prairie  on  fire  "  is  not  to  be  despised.  In  a  stiff  gale  the  flames  travel  faster  than 
the  race  horse,  and  stories  of  death  by  fire  overtaking  the  fugitive  are  innumer 
able. 


THE   PRAIRIE  285 

"Would  you  think  to  deprive  the  fire  of  its  victims  in 
this  childish  manner?"  exclaimed  Middleton. 

A  faint  but  solemn  smile  passed  over  the  features  of 
the  old  man  as  he  answered: 

"Your  gran 'ther  would  have  said,  that  when  the  enemy 
was  nigh,  a  soldier  could  do  no  better  than  to  obey." 

The  captain  felt  the  reproof,  and  instantly  began  to 
imitate  the  industry  of  Paul,  who  was  tearing  the  decayed 
herbage  from  the  ground  in  a  sort  of  desperate  compliance 
with  the  trapper's  direction.  Even  Ellen  lent  her  hands 
to  the  labor,  nor  was  it  long  before  Inez  was  seen  simi 
larly  employed,  though  none  amongst  them  knew  why  or 
wherefore.  When  life  is  thought  to  be  the  reward  of 
labor,  men  are  wont  to  be  industrious.  A  very  few  mo 
ments  sufficed  to  lay  bare  a  spot  of  some  twenty  feet  in 
diameter.  Into  one  edge  of  this  little  area  the  trapper 
brought  the  females,  directing  Middleton  and  Paul  to 
cover  their  light  and  inflammable  dresses  with  the  blankets 
of  the  party.  So  soon  as  this  precaution  was  observed, 
the  old  man  approached  the  opposite  margin  of  the  grass 
which  still  environed  them  in  a  tall  and  dangerous  circle, 
and  selecting  a  handful  of  the  driest  of  the  herbage  he 
placed  it  over  the  pan  of  his  rifle.  The  light  combustible 
kindled  at  the  flash.  Then  he  placed  the  little  flame  in  a 
bed  of  the  standing  fog,  and  withdrawing  from  the  spot 
to  the  center  of  the  ring,  he  patiently  awaited  the  result. 

The  subtle  element  seized  with  avidity  upon  its  new 
fuel,  and  in  a  moment  forked  flames  were  gliding  among 
the  grass,  as  the  tongues  of  ruminating  animals  are  seen 
rolling  among  their  food,  apparently  in  quest  of  its 
sweetest  portions. 

"Now,"  said  the  old  man,  holding  up  a  finger,  and 
laughing  in  his  peculiarly  silent  manner,  "you  shall  see 
fire  fight  fire!  Ah's  me!  many  is  the  time  I  have  burnt 
a  smooty  path,  from  wanton  laziness  to  pick  my  way  across 
a  tangled  bottom." 

"But  is  this  not  fatal?"  cried  the  amazed  Middleton; 
"are  you  not  bringing  the  enemy  nigher  to  us  instead  of 
avoiding  it?" 

"Do  you  scorch  so  easily?  your  gran'ther  had  a  tougher 
skin.  But  we  shall  live  to  see— we  shall  all  live  to  see." 


286  THE   PRAIRIE 

The  experience  of  the  trapper  was  in  the  right.  As  the 
fire  gained  strength  and  heat,  it  began  to  spread  on  three 
sides,  dying  of  itself  on  the  fourth,  for  want  of  ailment. 
As  it  increased,  and  the  sullen  roaring  announced  its 
power,  it  cleared  everything  before  it,  leaving  the  black 
and  smoking  soil  far  more  naked  than  if  the  scythe  had 
swept  the  place.  The  situation  of  the  fugitives  would 
have  still  been  hazardous  had  not  the  area  enlarged  as 
the  flame  encircled  them.  But  by  advancing  to  the  spot 
where  the  trapper  had  kindled  the  grass,  they  avoided  the 
heat,  and  in  a  very  few  moments  the  flames  began  to  re 
cede  in  every  quarter,  leaving  them  enveloped  in  a  cloud 
of  smoke,  but  perfectly  safe  from  the  torrent  of  fire  that 
was  still  furiously  rolling  onwards. 

The  spectators  regarded  the  simple  expedient  of  the 
trapper,  with  that  species  of  wonder  with  which  the  cour 
tiers  of  Ferdinand  are  said  to  have  viewed  the  manner  in 
which  Columbus  made  his  egg  stand  on  its  end,  though 
with  feelings  that  were  filled  with  gratitude  instead  of 
envy. 

"Most  wonderful!"  said  Middleton,  when  he  saw  the 
complete  success  of  the  means  by  which  they  had  been 
rescued  from  a  danger  that  he  had  conceived  to  be  un 
avoidable.  "The  thought  was  a  gift  from  Heaven,  and 
the  hand  that  executed  it  should  be  immortal!" 

"Old  trapper, ' '  cried  Paul,  thrusting  his  fingers  through 
his  shaggy  locks,  "I  have  lined  many  a  loaded  bee  into 
his  hole,  and  know  something  of  the  nature  of  the  woods, 
but  this  robbing  a  hornet  of  his  sting  without  touching 
the  insect!" 

"It  will  do — it  will  do,"  returned  the  old  man,  who 
after  the  first  moment  of  his  success  seemed  to  think  no 
more  of  the  exploit;  "now  get  the  horses  in  readiness. 
Let  the  flames  do  their  work  for  a  short  half  hour,  and 
then  we  will  mount.  That  time  is  needed  to  cool  the 
meadow,  for  these  unshod  Teton  beasts  are  as  tender  on 
the  hoof  as  a  barefooted  girl." 

Middleton  and  Paul,  who  considered  this  unlooked-for 
escape  as  a  species  of  resurrection,  patiently  awaited  the 
time  the  trapper  mentioned  with  renewed  confidence  in 
the  infallibility  of  his  judgment.  The  Doctor  regained 


THE   PRAIRIE  287 

his  tablets,  a  little  the  worse  from  having  fallen  among 
the  grass  which  had  been  subject  to  the  action  of  the 
flames,  and  was  consoling  himself  for  this  slight  misfor 
tune  by  recording  uninterruptedly  such  different  vacilla 
tions  in  light  and  shadow  as  he  chose  to  consider  phe 
nomena. 

In  the  meantime  the  veteran,  on  whose  experience 
they  all  so  implicitly  relied  for  protection,  employed  him 
self  in  reconnoitering  objects  in  the  distance,  through  the 
openings  which  the  air  occasionally  made  in  the  immense 
bodies  of  smoke,  that  by  this  time  lay  in  enormous  piles 
on  every  part  of  the  plain. 

"Look  you  here,  lads,"  the  trapper  said,  after  a  long 
and  anxious  examination,  "your  eyes  are  young,  and  may 
prove  better  than  my  worthless  sight — though  the  time 
has  been,  when  a  wise  and  brave  people  saw  reason  to 
think  me  quick  on  a  lookout;  but  those  times  are  gone, 
and  many  a  true  and  tried  friend  has  passed  away  with 
them.  Ah's  me!  if  I  could  choose  a  change  in  the  order- 
ings  of  Providence — which  I  cannot,  and  which  it  would 
be  blasphemy  to  attempt,  seeing  that  all  things  are  gov 
erned  by  a  wiser  mind  than  belongs  to  mortal  weakness — 
but  if  I  were  to  choose  a  change,  it  would  be  to  say,  that 
such  as  they  who  have  lived  long  together  in  friendship 
and  kindness,  and  who  have  proved  their  fitness  to  go  in 
company,  by  many  acts  of  suffering  and  daring  in  each 
other's  behalf,  should  be  permitted  to  give  up  life  at  such 
times,  as  when  the  death  of  one  leaves  the  other  but  little 
reason  to  live," 

"Is  it  an  Indian  that  you  see?"  demanded  the  impatient 
Middleton. 

"Red-skin  or  white-skin,  it  is  much  the  same.  Friend 
ship  and  use  can  tie  men  as  strongly  together  in  the  woods 
as  in  the  towns— ay,  and  for  that  matter,  stronger.  Here 
are  the  young  warriors  of  the  prairies.  Often  do  they 
sort  themselves  in  pairs,  and  set  apart  their  lives  for  deeds 
of  friendship;  and  well  and  truly  do  they  act  up  to  their 
promises.  The  death-blow  to  one  is  commonly  mortal  to 
the  other!  I  have  been  a  solitary  man  much  of  my  time, 
if  he  can  be  called  solitary  who  has  lived  for  seventy 
years  in  the  very  bosom  of  natur',  and  where  he  could  at 


288  THE   PRAIKIE 

any  instant  open  his  heart  to  God,  without  having  to  strip 
it  of  the  cares  and  wickednesses  of  the  settlements;  but 
making  that  allowance,  have  I  been  a  solitary  man;  and 
yet  have  I  always  found  that  intercourse  with  my  kind 
was  pleasant,  and  painful  to  break  off,  provided  that  the 
companion  was  brave  and  honest.  Brave,  because  a  skeary 
comrade  in  the  woods,"  suffering  his  eyes  inadvertently 
to  rest  a  moment  on  the  person  of  the  abstracted  natural 
ist,  "is  apt  to  make  a  short  path  long;  and  honest,  inas 
much  as  craftiness  is  rather  an  instinct  of  the  brutes,  than 
a  gift  becoming  the  reason  of  a  human  man." 
"But  the  object  that  you  saw — was  it  a  Sioux?" 
"What  the  world  of  America  is  coming  to,  and  where 
the  machinations  and  inventions  of  its  people  are  to  have 
an  end,  the  Lord,  He  only  knows.  I  have  seen  in  my  day 
the  chief  who,  in  his  time,  had  beheld  the  first  Christian 
that  placed  his  wicked  foot  in  the  regions  of  York!  How 
much  has  the  beauty  of  the  wilderness  been  deformed  in 
two  short  lives!  My  own  eyes  were  first  opened  on  the 
shores  of  the  eastern  sea,  and  well  do  I  remember  that  I 
tried  the  virtues  of  the  first  rifle  I  ever  bore,  after  such  a 
march,  from  the  door  of  my  father  to  the  forest,  as  a 
stripling  could  make  between  sun  and  sun;  and  that  with 
out  offense  to  the  rights  or  prejudices  of  any  man  who  set 
himself  up  to  be  the  owner  of  the  beasts  of  the  fields. 
Natur'  then  lay  in  its  glory  along  the  whole  coast,  giving 
a  narrow  stripe,  between  the  woods  and  the  ocean,  to  the 
greediness  of  the  settlers.  And  where  am  I  now?  Had  I 
the  wings  of  an  eagle,  they  would  tire  before  a  tenth  of 
the  distance,  which  separates  me  from  that  sea,  could  be 
passed;  and  towns  and  villages,  farms  and  highways, 
churches  and  schools,  in  short,  all  the  inventions  and  dev 
iltries  of  man,  are  spread  across  the  region.  I  have  known 
the  time  when  a  few  red-skins  shouting  along  the  borders, 
could  set  the  provinces  in  a  fever;  and  men  were  to  be 
armed;  and  troops  were  to  be  called  to  aid  from  a  distant 
land;  and  prayers  were  said,  and  the  women  frighted  and 
few  slept  in  quiet,  because  the  Iroquois  were  on  the  war 
path,  or  the  accursed  Mingo  had  the  tomahawk  in  hand. 
How  is  it  now?  The  country  sends  out  her  ships  to  for 
eign  lands  to  wage  their  battles;  cannon  are  plentier  than 


THE   PRAIRIE  289 

the  rifle  used  to  be;  and  trained  soldiers  are  never  want 
ing,  in  tens  of  thousand,  when  need  calls  for  their  serv 
ices.  Such  is  the  difference  atween  a  province  and  a 
state,  my  men;  and  I,  miserable  and  worn  out  as  I  seem, 
have  lived  to  see  it  all!" 

"That  you  must  have  seen  many  a  chopper  skimming 
the  cream  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  many  a  settler 
getting  the  very  honey  of  nature,  old  trapper,"  said 
Paul,  "no  reasonable  man  can,  or,  for  that  matter,  shall 
doubt.  But  here  is  Ellen  getting  uneasy  about  the 
Sioux,  and  now  you  have  opened  your  mind  so  freely  con 
cerning  these  matters,  if  you  will  just  put  us  on  the  line 
of  our  flight,  the  swarm  will  make  another  move. ' ' 

"Anan!" 

"I  say  that  Ellen  is  getting  uneasy;  and  as  the  smoke 
is  lifting  from  the  plain,  it  may  be  prudent  to  take  another 
flight." 

"The  boy  is  reasonable.  I  had  forgotten  we  were  in 
the  midst  of  a  raging  fire,  and  that  Sioux  were  round 
about  us  like  hungry  wolves  watching  a  drove  of  buffaloes. 
But  when  memory  is  at  work  in  my  old  brain,  on  times 
long  past,  it  is  apt  to  overlook  the  matters  of  the  day. 
You  say  right,  my  children;  it  is  time  to  be  moving,  and 
now  comes  the  real  nicety  of  our  case.  It  is  easy  to  out 
wit  a  furnace,  for  it  is  nothing  but  raging  element;  and 
it  is  not  always  difficult  to  throw  a  grizzly  bear  from  his 
scent,  for  the  creatur'  is  both  enlightened  and  blinded  by 
his  instinct;  but  to  shut  the  eyes  of  a  waking  Teton  is  a 
matter  of  greater  judgment,  inasmuch  as  his  deviltry  is 
backed  by  reason." 

Notwithstanding  the  old  man  appeared  so  conscious  of 
the  difficulty  of  the  undertaking,  he  set  about  its  achiev- 
ment  with  great  steadiness  and  alacrity.  After  completing 
the  examination,  which  had  been  interrupted  by  the  mel 
ancholy  wanderings  of  his  mind,  he  gave  the  signal  to 
his  companions  to  mount.  The  horses,  which  had  continued 
passive  and  trembling  amid  the  raging  of  the  fire,  received 
their  burdens  with  a  satisfaction  so  very  evident,  as  to 
furnish  a  favorable  augury  of  their  future  industry, 
trapper  invited  the  Doctor  to  take  his  own  steed,  declar 
ing  his  intention  to  proceed  on  foot. 
19 


290  THE   PRAIRIE 

"I  am  but  little  used  to  journeying  with  the  feet  of 
others,"  he  added,  as  a  reason  for  the  measure,  "and  my 
legs  are  a-weary  of  doing  nothing.  Besides,  should  we 
light  suddenly  on  an  ambushment,  which  is  a  thing  far 
from  impossible,  the  horse  will  be  in  a  better  condition 
for  a  hard  run  with  one  man  on  his  back  than  with  two. 
As  for  me,  what  matters  it  whether  my  time  is  to  be  a 
day  shorter  or  a  day  longer!  Let  the  Tetons  take  my 
scalp,  if  it  be  God's  pleasure:  they  will  find  it  covered 
with  gray  hairs;  and  it  is  beyond  the  craft  of  man  to 
cheat  me  of  the  knowledge  and  experience  by  which  they 
have  been  whitened." 

As  no  one  among  the  impatient  listeners  seemed  disposed 
to  dispute  the  arrangement,  it  was  acceded  to  in  silence. 
The  Doctor,  though  he  muttered  a  few  mourning  excla 
mations  on  behalf  of  the  lost  Asinus,  was  by  far  too  well 
pleased  in  finding  that  his  speed  was  likely  to  be  sustained 
by  four  legs  instead  of  two,  to  be  long  in  complying;  and, 
consequently,  in  a  very  few  moments  the  bee-hunter,  who 
was  never  last  to  speak  on  such  occasions,  vociferously 
announced  that  they  were  ready  to  proceed. 

"Now  look  off  yonder  to  the  east,"  said  the  old  man,  as 
he  began  to  lead  the  way  across  the  murky  and  still  smok 
ing  plain;  "little  fear  of  cold  feet  in  journeying  such  a 
path  as  this;  but  look  you  off  to  the  east,  and  if  you  see 
a  sheet  of  shining  white,  glistening  like  a  plate  of  beaten 
silver  through  the  openings  of  the  smoke,  why  that  is 
water.  A  noble  stream  is  running  there-away,  and  I 
thought  I  got  a  glimpse  of  it  a  while  since;  but  other 
thoughts  came,  and  I  lost  it.  It  is  a  broad  and  swift 
river,  such  as  the  Lord  has  made  of  its  fellows  in  this 
desert.  For  here  may  natur'  be  seen  in  all  its  richness, 
trees  alone  excepted.  Trees,  which  are  to  the  'arth  as 
fruits  are  to  a  garden;  without  them  nothing  can  be 
pleasant,  or  thoroughly  useful.  Now  watch  all  of  you, 
with  open  eyes,  for  that  stripe  of  glittering  water:  we 
shall  not  be  safe  until  it  is  flowing  between  our  trail  and 
these  sharp-sighted  Tetons." 

The  latter  declaration  was  enough  to  insure  a  vigilant 
lookout  for  the  desired  stream,  on  the  part  of  all  the 
trapper's  followers.  With  this  object  in  view,  the  party 


THE   PRAIRIE  291 

proceeded  in  profound  silence,  the  old  man  having  admon 
ished  them  of  the  necessity  of  caution,  as  they  entered  the 
clouds  of  smoke,  which  were  rolling  like  masses  of  fog 
along  the  plain,  more  particularly  over  those  spots  where 
the  fire  had  encountered  occasional  pools  of  stagnant  water. 

They  traveled  near  a  league  in  this  manner,  without 
obtaining  the  desired  glimpse  of  the  river.  The  fire  was 
still  raging  in  the  distance,  and  as  the  air  swept  away  the 
first  vapor  of  the  conflagration,  fresh  volumes  rolled  along 
the  place,  limiting  the  view.  At  length  the  old  man,  who 
had  begun  to  betray  some  little  uneasiness,  which  caused 
his  followers  to  apprehend  that  even  his  acute  faculties 
were  beginning  to  be  confused,  in  the  mazes  of  the  smoke, 
made  a  sudden  pause,  and  dropping  his  rifle  to  the  ground, 
he  stood,  apparently  musing  over  some  object  at  his  feet. 
Middleton  and  the  rest  rode  up  to  his  side,  and  demanded 
the  reason  of  the  halt. 

"Look  ye  here,"  returned  the  trapper,  pointing  to  the 
mutilated  carcass  of  a  horse,  that  lay  more  than  half  con 
sumed  in  a  little  hollow  of  the  ground:  "here  may  you  see 
the  power  of  a  prairie  conflagration.  The  'arth  is  moist, 
here-away,  and  the  grass  has  been  taller  than  usual.  This 
miserable  beast  has  been  caught  in  his  bed.  You  see  the 
bones;  the  crackling  and  scorched  hide,  and  the  grinning 
teeth.  A  thousand  winters  could  not  wither  an  animal  so 
thoroughly  as  the  element  has  done  it  in  a  minute." 

"And  this  might  have  been  our  fate,"  said  Middleton, 
"had  the  flames  come  upon  us  in  our  sleep!" 

"Nay,  I  do  not  say  that,  I  do  not  say  that.  Not  but 
that  man  will  burn  as  well  as  tinder;  but,  that  being 
more  reasoning  than  a  horse,  he  would  better  know  how 
to  avoid  the  danger." 

"Perhaps  this,  then,  has  been  but  the  carcass  of  an 
animal,  or  he  too  would  have  fled?" 

"See  you  these  marks  in  the  damp  soil?  Here  have 
been  his  hoofs,  and  there  is  a  moccasin  print,  as  I'm  a 
sinner!  The  owner  of  the  beast  has  tried  hard  to  move 
him  from  the  place,  but  it  is  in  the  instinct  of  the  creatur' 
to  be  faint-hearted  and  obstinate  in  a  fire." 

"It  is  a  well-known  fact.  But  if  the  animal  has  had  a 
rider,  where  is  he?" 


292  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Ay,  therein  lies  the  mystery,"  returned  the  trapper, 
stooping  to  examine  the  signs  in  the  ground  with  a  closer 
eye.  ''Yes,  yes,  it  is  plain  there  has  been  a  long  struggle 
atween  the  two.  The  master  has  tried  hard  to  save  his 
beast,  and  the  flames  must  have  been  very  greedy,  or  he 
would  have  had  better  success. ' ' 

"Harkee,  old  trapper,"  interrupted  Paul,  pointing  to  a 
little  distance,  where  the  ground  was  drier,  and  the  herb 
age  had,  in  consequence,  been  less  luxuriant;  "just  call 
them  two  horses.  Yonder  lies  another." 

"The  boy  is  right!  can  it  be  that  the  Tetons  have  been 
caught  in  their  own  snares?  Such  things  do  happen;  and 
here  is  an  example  to  all  evil-doers.  Ay,  look  you  here, 
this  is  iron;  there  have  been  some  white  inventions  about 
the  trappings  of  the  beast— it  must  be  so — it  must  be  so 
— a  party  of  the  knaves  have  been  skirting  in  the  grass 
after  us,  while  their  friends  have  fired  the  prairie,  and 
look  you  at  the  consequences;  they  have  lost  their  beasts, 
and  happy  have  they  been  if  their  own  souls  are  not  now 
skirting  along  the  path  which  leads  to  the  Indian  heaven. ' ' 

"They  had  the  same  expedient  at  command  as  yourself, ' ' 
rejoined  Middleton,  as  the  party  slowly  proceeded,  ap 
proaching  the  other  carcass,  which  lay  directly  on  their 
route. 

"I  know  not  that.  It  is  not  every  savage  that  carries 
his  steel  and  flint,  or  as  good  a  rifle-pan  as  this  old  friend 
of  mine.  It  is  slow  making  a  fire  with  two  sticks,  and 
little  time  was  given  to  consider  or  invent,  just  at  this 
spot,  as  you  may  see  by  yon  streak  of  flame,  which  is 
flashing  along  afore  the  wind,  as  if  it  were  on  a  trail  of 
powder.  It  is  not  many  minutes  since  the  fire  has  passed 
here-away,  and  it  may  be  well  to  look  at  our  primings; 
not  that  I  would  willingly  combat  the  Tetons,  God  forbid! 
but  if  a  fight  needs  be,  it  is  always  wise  to  get  the  first 
shot." 

"This  has  been  a  strange  beast,  old  man,"  said  Paul, 
who  had  pulled  the  bridle,  or  rather  halter  of  his  steed, 
over  the  second  carcass,  while  the  rest  of  the  party  were 
already  passing,  in  their  eagerness  to  proceed;  "a  strange 
horse  do  I  call  it;  it  had  neither  head  nor  hoofs!" 

"The  fire  has  not  been  idle,"  returned  the    trapper, 


THE   PRAIRIE  293 

keeping  his  eye  vigilantly  employed  in  profiting  by  those 
glimpses  of  the  horizon,  which  the  whirling  smoke  offered 
to  his  examination.  "It  would  soon  bake  you  a  buffalo 
whole,  or  for  that  matter  powder  his  hoofs  and  horns  into 
white  ashes.  Shame,  shame,  old  Hector;  as  for  the  cap 
tain's  pup,  it  is  to  be  expected  that  he  would  show  his 
want  of  years,  and  I  may  say,  I  hope  without  offense,  his 
want  of  education,  too;  but,  for  a  hound  like  you,  who 
have  lived  so  long  in  the  forest  afore  you  came  into  these 
plains,  it  is  very  disgraceful,  Hector,  to  be  showing  your 
teeth,  and  growling  at  the  carcass  of  a  roasted  horse,  the 
same  as  if  you  were  telling  your  master  that  you  had 
found  the  trail  of  a  grizzly  bear." 

"I  tell  you,  old  trapper,  this  is  no  horse;  neither  in 
hoofs,  head,  nor  hide." 

"Anan!  Not  a  horse?  your  eyes  are  good  for  the  bees 
and  for  the  hollow  trees,  my  lad,  but — bless  me,  the  boy 
is  right!  That  I  should  mistake  the  hide  of  a  buffalo, 
scorched  and  crimpled  as  it  is,  for  the  carcass  of  a  horse! 
Ah's  me!  The  time  has  been,  my  men,  when  I  would  tell 
you  the  name  of  a  beast,  as  far  as  eye  could  reach,  and 
that  too  with  most  of  the  particulars  of  color,  age,  and 
sex." 

"An  inestimable  advantage  have  you  then  enjoyed, 
venerable  venator!"  observed  the  attentive  naturalist. 
"The  man  who  can  make  these  distinctions  in  a  desert,  is 
saved  the  pain  of  many  a  weary  walk,  and  often  of  an  in 
quiry  that  in  its  result  proves  useless.  Pray  tell  me,  did 
your  exceeding  excellence  of  vision  extend  so  far  as  to 
enable  you  to  decide  on  their  order  or  genusT' 

"I  know  not  what  you  mean  by  your  orders  of  genius." 

"No!"  interrupted  the  bee-hunter,  a  little  disdainfully 
for  him,  when  speaking  to  his  aged  friend;  "now,  old 
trapper,  that  is  admitting  your  ignorance  of  the  English 
language,  in  a  way  I  should  not  expect  from  a  man  of 
your  experience  and  understanding.  By  order,  our  com 
rade  means  whether  they  go  in  promiscuous  droves,  like  a 
swarm  that  is  following  its  queen-bee,  or  in  single  file,  as 
you  often  see  the  buffaloes  trailing  each  other  through  a 
prairie.  And  as  for  genius,  I'm  sure  that  is  a  word  well 
understood,  and  in  everybody's  mouth.  There  is  the  con- 


294  THE   PRAIRIE 

gressman  in  our  district,  and  that  tonguey  little  fellow 
who  puts  out  the  paper  in  our  county — they  are  both  so 
called  for  their  smartness;  which  is  what  the  Doctor 
means,  as  I  take  it,  seeing  that  he  seldom  speaks  without 
some  considerable  meaning." 

When  Paul  finished  this  very  clever  explanation,  he 
looked  behind  him  with  an  expression  which,  rightly  in 
terpreted,  would  have  said,  "You  see,  though  I  don't  often 
trouble  myself  in  these  matters,  I  am  no  fool." 

Ellen  admired  Paul  for  anything  but  his  learning. 
There  was  enough  in  his  frank,  fearless,  and  manly  char 
acter,  backed  as  it  was  by  great  personal  attraction,  to 
awaken  her  sympathies,  without  the  necessity  of  prying 
into  his  mental  attainments.  The  poor  girl  reddened  like 
a  rose,  her  pretty  fingers  played  with  the  belt  by  which 
she  sustained  herself  on  the  horse,  and  she  hurriedly  ob 
served,  as  if  anxious  to  direct  the  attentions  of  the  other 
listeners  from  a  weakness  on  which  her  own  thoughts 
could  not  bear  to  dwell, — 

"And  this  is  not  a  horse,  after  all?" 

'  'It  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  hide  of  a  buffalo, ' ' 
continued  the  trapper,  who  had  been  no  less  puzzled  by 
the  explanation  of  Paul  than  by  the  language  of  the  Doc 
tor;  "the  hair  is  beneath;  the  fire  has  run  over  it,  as  you 
see;  for  being  fresh,  the  flames  could  take  no  hold.  The 
beast  has  not  been  long  killed,  and  it  may  be  that  some  of 
the  beef  is  still  here-away. ' ' 

"Lift  the  corner  of  the  skin,  old  trapper,"  said  Paul 
with  the  tone  of  one  who  felt  as  if  he  had  now  proved  his 
right  to  mingle  his  voice  in  any  council;  "if  there  is  a 
morsel  of  the  hump  left,  it  must  be  well  cooked,  and  it 
shall  be  welcome." 

The  old  man  laughed  heartily  at  the  conceit  of  his  com 
panion.  Thrusting  his  foot  beneath  the  skin,  it  moved. 
Then  it  was  suddenly  cast  aside,  and  an  Indian  warrior 
sprang  from  its  cover  to  his  feet,  with  an  agility  that 
bespoke  how  urgent  he  deemed  the  occasion. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

"I  would  it  were  bedtime,  Hal,  and  all  well." 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

A  SECOND  glance  sufficed  to  convince  the  whole  of  the 
startled  party  that  the  young  Pawnee,  whom  they  had  al 
ready  encountered,  again  stood  before  them.  Surprise 
kept  both  sides  mute,  and  more  than  a  minute  was  passed 
in  surveying  each  other  with  eyes  of  astonishment,  if  not 
of  distrust.  The  wonder  of  the  young  warrior  was,  how 
ever,  much  more  tempered  and  dignified  than  that  of  his 
Christian  acquaintances.  While  Middleton  and  Paul  felt 
the  tremor  which  shook  the  persons  of  their  dependent 
companions,  thrilling  through  their  own  quickened  blood, 
the  glowing  eye  of  the  Indian  rolled  from  one  to  another, 
as  if  it  could  never  quail  before  the  rudest  assaults.  His 
gaze,  after  making  the  circuit  of  every  wondering  coun 
tenance,  finally  settled  in  a  steady  look  on  the  equally 
immovable  features  of  the  trapper.  The  silence  was  first 
broken  by  Dr.  Battius,  in  the  ejaculation  of— 

"Order,  primates;  genus,  homo;  species,  prairie!" 

"Ay,  ay;  the  secret  is  out,"  said  the  old  trapper,  shak 
ing  his  head,  like  one  who  congratulated  himself  on  having 
mastered  the  mystery  of  some  knotty  difficulty.  "The 
lad  has  been  in  the  grass  for  a  cover;  the  fire  has  come 
upon  him  in  his  sleep,  and  having  lost  his  horse,  he  has 
been  driven  to  save  himself  under  that  fresh  hide  of  a 
buffalo.  No  bad  invention,  when  powder  and  flint  were 
wanting  to  kindle  a  ring.  I  warrant  me,  now,  this  is  a 
clever  youth,  and  one  that  it  would  be  safe  to  journey 
with!  I  will  speak  to  him  kindly,  for  anger  can  at  least 
serve  no  turn  of  ours.  My  brother  is  welcome  again," 
using  the  language  which  the  other  understood;  "the 
Tetons  have  been  smoking  him,  as  they  would  a  raccoon." 

The  young  Pawnee  rolled  his  eyes  over  the  place,  as  if 
he  were  examining  the  terrific  danger  from  which  he  had 

295 


296  THE   PRAIRIE 

just  escaped,  but  he  disdained  to  betray  the  smallest 
emotion  at  its  imminency.  His  brow  contracted,  as  he 
answered  to  the  remark  of  the  trapper  by  saying: 

"A  Teton  is  a  dog.  When  the  Pawnee  war-whoop  is  in 
their  ears,  the  whole  nation  howls." 

"It  is  true.  The  imps  are  on  our  trail,  and  I  am  glad 
to  meet  a  warrior,  with  the  tomahawk  in  his  hand,  who 
does  not  love  them.  Will  my  brother  lead  my  children  to 
his  village.  If  the  Sioux  follow  on  our  path,  my  young 
men  shall  help  him  to  strike  them." 

The  young  Pawnee  turned  his  eyes  from  one  to  another 
of  the  strangers,  in  a  keen  scrutiny,  before  he  saw  fit  to 
answer  so  important  an  interrogatory.  His  examination 
of  the  males  was  short,  and  apparently  satisfactory.  But 
his  gaze  was  fastened  long  and  admiringly,  as  in  their 
former  interview,  on  the  surpassing  and  unwonted  beauty 
of  a  being  so  fair  and  so  unknown  as  Inez.  Though  his 
glance  wandered,  for  moments,  from  her  countenance  to 
the  more  intelligible  and  yet  extraordinary  charms  of 
Ellen,  it  did  not  fail  to  return  promptly  to  the  study  of  a 
creature  who,  in  the  view  of  his  unpractised  eye  and  un 
tutored  imagination,  was  formed  with  all  that  perfection 
with  which  the  youthful  poet  is  apt  to  endow  the  glowing 
images  of  his  brain.  Nothing  so  fair,  so  ideal,  so  every 
way  worthy  to  reward  the  courage  and  self-devotion  of  a 
warrior,  had  ever  before  been  encountered  on  the  prairies, 
and  the  young  brave  appeared  to  be  deeply  and  intuitively 
sensible  to  the  influence  of  so  rare  a  model  of  the  loveli 
ness  of  the  sex.  Perceiving,  however,  that  his  gaze  gave 
uneasiness  to  the  subject  of  his  admiration,  he  withdrew 
his  eyes,  and  laying  his  hand  impressively  on  his  chest,  he 
modestly  answered: 

"My  father  shall  be  welcome.  The  young  men  of  my 
nation  shall  hunt  with  his  sons;  the  chiefs  shall  smoke 
with  the  gray-head.  The  Pawnee  girls  will  sing  in  the 
ears  of  his  daughters." 

"And  if  we  meet  the  Tetons?"  demanded  the  trapper, 
who  wished  to  understand,  thoroughly,  the  more  impor 
tant  conditions  of  this  new  alliance. 

"The  enemy  of  the  Big-knives  shall  feel  the  blow  of  the 
Pawnee." 


THE   PRAIRIE  297 

"It  is  well.  Now  let  my  brother  and  I  meet  in  council, 
that  we  may  not  go  on  a  crooked  path,  but  that  our  road 
to  his  village  may  be  like  the  flight  of  the  pigeons." 

The  young  Pawnee  made  a  significant  gesture  of  assent, 
and  followed  the  other  a  little  apart,  in  order  to  be  re 
moved  from  all  danger  of  interruption  from  the  reckless 
Paul,  or  the  abstracted  naturalist.  Their  conference  was 
short,  but,  as  it  was  conducted  in  the  sententious  manner 
of  the  natives,  it  served  to  make  each  of  the  parties 
acquainted  with  all  the  necessary  information  of  the  other. 
When  they  rejoined  their  associates,  the  old  man  saw  fit 
to  explain  a  portion  of  what  had  passed  between  them  as 
follows: 

"Ay,  I  was  not  mistaken, "  he  said;  "this  good-looking 
young  warrior — for  good-looking  and  noble-looking  he  is, 
though  a  little  horrified  perhaps  with  paint— this  good- 
looking  youth,  then,  tells  me  he  is  out  on  the  scout  for 
these  very  Tetons.  His  party  was  not  strong  enough  to 
strike  the  devils,  who  are  down  from  their  towns  in  great 
numbers  to  hunt  the  buffalo,  and  runners  have  gone  to 
the  Pawnee  villages  for  aid.  It  would  seem  that  this  lad 
is  a  fearless  boy,  for  he  has  been  hanging  on  their  skirts 
alone,  until,  like  ourselves,  he  was  driven  to  the  grass  for 
a  cover.  But  he  tells  me  more,  my  men,  and  what  I  am 
mainly  sorry  to  hear,  which  is,  that  the  cunning  Mahtoree, 
instead  of  going  to  blows  with  the  squatter,  has  become 
his  friend,  and  that  both  broods,  red  and  white,  are  on 
our  heels,  and  outlying  around  this  very  burning  plain,  to 
circumvent  us  to  our  destruction." 

"How  knows  he  all  this  to  be  true?"  demanded  Middle- 
ton. 

"Anan!" 

"In  what  manner  does  he  know  that  these  things  are 

so?" 

"In  what  manner!    Do  you  think  newspapers  and 
criers  are  needed  to  tell  a  scout  what  is  doing  on  the 
prairies,  as  they  are  in  the  bosom  of  the  States?    No  gos 
siping  woman,  who  hurries  from  house  to  house  to  spread 
evil  of  her  neighbor,  can  carry  tidings  with  her  tongue  s 
fast  as  these  people  will  spread  their  meaning,  by  signs 
and  warnings  that   they  alone   understand. 


298  THE   PRAIRIE 

I'arning,  and  what  is  better,  it  is  got  in  the  open  air, 
and  not  within  the  walls  of  a  school.  I  tell  you,  captain, 
that  what  he  says  is  true. ' ' 

"For  that  matter,"  said  Paul,  "I'm  ready  to  swear  to 
it.  It  is  reasonable,  and  therefore  it  must  be  true. ' ' 

"And  well  you  might,  lad — well  you  might.  He  further 
more  declares,  that  my  old  eyes  for  once  were  true  to  me, 
and  that  the  river  lies  here-away,  at  about  the  distance  of 
half  a  league.  You  see  the  fire  has  done  most  of  its  work 
in  that  quarter,  and  our  path  is  clouded  in  smoke.  He 
also  agrees  that  it  is  needful  to  wash  our  trail  in  water. 
Yes,  we  must  put  that  river  atween  us  and  the  Sioux  eyes, 
and  then  by  the  favor  of  the  Lord,  not  forgetting  our  own 
industry,  we  may  gain  the  village  of  the  Loups. " 

"Words  will  not  forward  us  a  foot,"  said  Middleton; 
"let  us  move." 

The  old  man  assented,  and  the  party  once  more  prepared 
to  renew  its  route.  The  Pawnee  threw  the  skin  of  the 
buffalo  over  his  shoulder  and  led  the  advance,  casting 
many  a  stolen  glance  behind  him  as  he  proceeded,  in  order 
to  fix  his  gaze  on  the  extraordinary  and,  to  him,  unac 
countable  loveliness  of  the  unconscious  Inez. 

An  hour  sufficed  to  bring  the  fugitives  to  the  bank  of 
the  stream,  which  was  one  of  the  hundred  rivers  that 
serve  to  conduct,  through  the  mighty  arteries  of  the 
Missouri  and  Mississippi,  the  waters  of  that  vast  and  still 
uninhabited  region  to  the  ocean.  The  river  was  not  deep, 
but  its  current  was  troubled  and  rapid. 

The  flames  had  scorched  the  earth  to  its  very  margin, 
and  as  the  warm  streams  of  the  fluid  mingled,  in  the 
cooler  air  of  the  morning,  with  smoke  of  the  raging  con 
flagration,  most  of  its  surf  ace  was  wrapped  in  a  mantle  of 
moving  vapor.  The  trapper  pointed  out  the  circumstance 
with  pleasure,  saying,  as  he  assisted  Inez  to  dismount  on 
the  margin  of  the  water-course: 

"The  knaves  have  outwitted  themselves!  I  am  far 
from  certain  that  I  should  not  have  fired  the  prairie,  to 
have  got  the  benefit  of  this  very  smoke  to  hide  our  move 
ments,  had  not  the  heartless  imps  saved  us  the  trouble. 
I've  known  such  things  done  in  my  day,  and  done  with 
success.  Come,  lady,  put  your  tender  foot  upon  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  299 

ground— for  a  fearful  time  has  it  been  to  one  of  your 
breeding  and  skeary  qualities.  Ah's  me!  what  have  I  not 
known  the  young,  and  the  delicate,  and  the  virtuous,  and 
the  modest,  to  undergo,  in  my  time,  among  the  horrifica- 
tions  and  circumventions  of  Indian  warfare!  Come,  it  is 
a  short  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  other  bank,  and  then  our 
trail,  at  least,  will  be  broken." 

Paul  had  by  this  time  assisted  Ellen  to  dismount,  and 
he  now  stood  looking,  with  rueful  eyes,  at  the  naked  banks 
of  the  river.  Neither  tree  nor  shrub  grew  along  its  bor 
ders,  with  the  exception  of  here  and  there  a  solitary 
thicket  of  low  bushes,  from  among  which  it  would'  not 
have  been  an  easy  matter  to  have  found  a  dozen  stems  of 
a  size  sufficient  to  make  an  ordinary  walking-stick. 

"Harkee,  old  trapper,"  the  moody  looking  bee-hunter 
exclaimed;  "it  is  very  well  to  talk  of  the  other  side  of 
this  ripple  of  a  river,  or  brook,  or  whatever  you  may  call 
it,  but  in  my  judgment  it  would  be  a  smart  rifle  that 
would  throw  its  lead  across  it — that  is,  to  any  detriment 
to  Indian  or  deer." 

"That  it  would — that  it  would;  though  I  carry  a  piece, 
here,  that  has  done  its  work  in  time  of  need  at  as  great  a 
distance." 

"And  do  you  mean  to  shoot  Ellen  and  the  captain's  lady 
across;  or  do  you  intend  them  to  go,  trout  fashion,  with 
their  mouths  under  water?" 

"Is  this  river  too  deep  to  be  forded?"  asked  Middle- 
ton,  who,  like  Paul,  began  to  consider  the  impossibility 
of  transporting  her,  whose  safety  he  valued  more  than  his 
own,  to  the  opposite  shore. 

"When  the  mountains  above  feed  it  with  their  torrents, 
it  is,  as  you  see,  a  swift  and  powerful  stream.  Yet  have 
I  crossed  its  sandy  bed,  in  my  time,  without  wetting  a 
knee.  But  we  have  the  Sioux  horses;  I  warrant  me  that 
the  kicking  imps  will  swim  like  so  many  deer." 

"Old  trapper,"  said  Paul,  thrusting  his  fingers  into  his 
mop  of  a  head,  as  was  usual  with  him,  when  any  difficulty 
confounded  his  philosophy,  "I  have  swum  like  a  fish  in 
my  day,  and  I  can  do  it  again,  when  there  is  need;  nor 
do  I  much  regard  the  weather;  but  I  question  if  you  get 
Nelly  to  sit  a  horse,  with  this  water  whirling  like  a  mill- 


300  THE   PRAIRIE 

race  before  her  eyes;  besides  it  is  manifest  the  thing  is 
not  to  be  done  dry-shod." 

"Ah,  the  lad  is  right.  We  must  to  our  inventions, 
therefore,  or  the  river  cannot  be  crossed."  Then  cutting 
the  discourse  short,  he  turned  to  the  Pawnee,  and  ex 
plained  to  him  the  difficulty  which  existed  in  relation 
to  the  women.  The  young  warrior  listened  gravely,  and 
throwing  the  buffalo-skin  from  his  shoulder,  he  imme 
diately  commenced,  assisted  by  the  occasional  aid  of  the 
understanding  old  man,  the  preparations  necessary  to 
effect  this  desirable  object. 

The  hide  was  soon  drawn  into  the  shape  of  an  umbrella 
top,  or  an  inverted  parachute,  by  thongs  of  deerskin, 
with  which  both  the  laborers  were  well  provided.  A  few 
light  sticks  served  to  keep  the  parts  from  collapsing,  or 
falling  in.  When  this  simple  and  natural  expedient  was 
arranged,  it  was  placed  on  the  water,  the  Indian  making 
a  sign  it  was  reaady  to  receive  its  freight.  Both  Inez  and 
Ellen  hesitated  to  trust  themselves  in  a  bark  of  so  frail  a 
construction,  nor  would  Middleton  or  Paul  consent  that 
they  should  do  so,  until  each  had  assured  himself,  by  actual 
experiment,  that  the  vessel  was  capable  of  sustaining  a 
load  much  heavier  than  it  was  destined  to  receive.  Then, 
indeed,  their  scruples  were  reluctantly  overcome,  and  the 
skin  was  made  to  receive  its  precious  burden. 

"Now leave  the  Pawnee  to  be  the  pilot,"  said  the  trap 
per;  "my  hand  is  not  so  steady  as  it  used  to  be;  but  he 
has  limbs  like  toughened  hickory.  Leave  all  to  the  wis 
dom  of  the  Pawnee. ' ' 

The  husband  and  lover  could  not  well  do  otherwise,  and 
they  were  fain  to  become  deeply  interested,  it  is  true, 
but  passive  spectators  of  this  primitive  species  of  ferrying. 
The  Pawnee  selected  the  beast  of  Mahtoree  from  among 
the  three  horses,  with  a  readiness  that  proved  he  was  far 
from  being  ignorant  of  the  properties  of  that  noble  ani 
mal,  and  throwing  himself  upon  its  back,  he  rode  into  the 
margin  of  the  river. 

Thrusting  an  end  of  his  lance  into  the  hide,  he  bore 
the  light  vessel  up  against  the  stream,  and  giving  his 
steed  the  rein,  they  pushed  boldly  into  the  current.  Mid 
dleton  and  Paul  followed,  pressing  as  nigh  the  bark  as 


THE   PRAIRIE  301 

prudence  would  at  all  warrant.  In  this  manner  the  young 
warrior  bore  his  precious  cargo  to  the  opposite  bank  in 
perfect  safety,  without  the  slightest  inconvenience  to  the 
passengers,  and  with  a  steadiness  and  celerity  which 
proved  that  both  horse  and  rider  were  not  unused  to  the 
operation.  When  the  shore  was  gained,  the  young  Indian 
undid  his  work,  threw  the  skin  over  his  shoulder,  placed 
the  sticks  under  his  arm,  and  returned,  without  speaking, 
to  transfer  the  remainder  of  the  party  in  a  similar  man 
ner,  to  what  was  very  justly  considered  the  safer  side  of 
the  river. 

"Now,  friend  Doctor,"  said  the  old  man,  when  he  saw 
the  Indian  plunging  into  the  river  a  second  time,  "do  I 
know  there  is  faith  in  yonder  red-skin.  He  is  a  good- 
looking,  ay,  and  an  honest-looking  youth,  but  the  winds 
of  heaven  are  not  more  deceitful  than  these  savages,  when 
the  devil  has  fairly  beset  them.  Had  the  Pawnee  been  a 
Teton,  or  one  of  them  heartless  Mingoes  that  used  to  be 
prowling  through  the  woods  of  York,  a  time  back,  that 
is,  some  sixty  years  agone,  we  should  have  seen  his  back 
and  not  his  face  turned  towards  us.  My  heart  had  its 
misgivings  when  I  saw  the  lad  choose  the  better  horse  for 
it  would  be  as  easy  to  leave  us  with  that  beast,  as  it  would 
for  a  nimble  pigeon  to  part  company  from  a  flock  of  noisy 
and  heavy-wTinged  crows.  But  you  see  that  truth  is  in  the 
boy,  and  make  a  red-skin  once  your  friend,  he  is  yours  so 
long  as  you  deal  honestly  by  him." 

"What  may  be  the  distance  to  the  sources  of  this 
stream?"  demanded  Dr.  Battius,  whose  eyes  were  rolling 
over  the  whirling  eddies  of  the  current,  with  a  very  por 
tentous  expression  of  doubt.  "At  what  distance  may  its 
secret  springs  be  found?" 

"That  may  be  as  the  weather  proves.  I  warrant  me 
your  legs  would  be  a- weary  before  you  had  followed  its 
bed  into  the  Rocky  Mountains;  but  then  there  are  seasons 
when  it  might  be  done  without  wetting  a  foot." 

"And  in  what  particular  divisions  of  the  year  do  these 
periodical  seasons  occur?" 

"He  that  passes  this  spot  a  few  months  from  this  time, 
will  find  that  foaming  water-course  a  desert  of  drifting 
sand." 


302  THE   PRAIRIE 

The  naturalist  pondered  deeply.  Like  most  others  who 
are  not  endowed  with  a  superfluity  of  physical  fortitude, 
the  worthy  man  had  found  the  danger  of  passing  the  river, 
in  so  simple  a  manner,  magnifying  itself  in  his  eyes  so 
rapidly,  as  the  moment  of  adventure  approached,  that  he 
actually  contemplated  the  desperate  effort  of  going  round 
the  river  in  order  to  escape  the  hazard  of  crossing  it.  It 
may  not  be  necessary  to  dwell  on  the  incredible  ingenuity 
with  which  terror  will  at  any  time  prop  a  tottering  argu 
ment.  The  worthy  Obed  had  gone  over  the  whole  subject 
with  commendable  diligence,  and  had  just  arrived  at  the 
consoling  conclusion,  that  there  was  nearly  as  much  glory 
in  discerning  the  hidden  sources  of  so  considerable  a 
stream,  as  in  adding  a  plant  or  an  insect  to  the  lists  of 
the  learned,  when  the  Pawnee  reached  the  shore  for  the 
second  time.  The  old  man  took  his  seat  with  the  utmost 
deliberation,  in  the  vessel  of  skin  (so  soon  as  it  had  been 
duly  arranged  for  his  reception),  and  having  carefully 
disposed  of  Hector  between  his  legs,  he  beckoned  to  his 
companion  to  occupy  the  third  place. 

The  naturalist  placed  a  foot  in  the  frail  vessel,  as  an 
elephant  will  try  a  bridge,  or  a  horse  is  often  seen  to  make 
a  similar  experiment  before  he  will  trust  the  whole  of  his 
corporal  treasure  on  the  dreaded  flat,  and  then  withdrew 
just  as  the  old  man  believed  he  was  about  to  seat  himself. 

"Venerable  venator,"  he  said,  mournfully,  "this  is  a 
most  unscientific  bark.  There  is  an  inward  monitor  which 
bids  me  distrust  its  security!" 

"Anan!"  said  the  old  man,  who  was  pinching  the  ears 
of  the  hound,  as  a  father  would  play  with  the  same  mem 
ber  in  a  favorite  child. 

"I  incline  not  to  this  irregular  mode  of  experimenting 
on  fluids.  The  vessel  has  neither  form  nor  proportions." 

"It  is  not  as  handsomely  turned  as  I  have  seen  a  canoe 
in  birchen  bark,  but  comfort  may  be  taken  in  a  wigwam 
as  well  as  in  a  palace!" 

"It  is  impossible  that  any  vessel  constructed  on  prin 
ciples  so  repugnant  to  science  can  be  safe.  This  tub,  ven 
erable  hunter,  will  never  reach  the  opposite  shore  in 
safety." 

"You  are  a  witness  of  what  it  has  done." 


THE   PRAIRIE  303 

"Ay;  but  it  was  an  anomaly  in  prosperity.  If  excep 
tions  were  to  be  taken  as  rules  in  the  government  of 
things,  the  human  race  would  speedily  be  plunged  in  the 
abysses  of  ignorance.  Venerable  trapper,  this  expedient 
in  which  you  would  repose  your  safety,  is,  in  the  annals 
of  regular  inventions  \vhaialusus  naturae  may  be  termed 
in  the  lists  of  natural  history — a  monster!" 

How  much  longer  Dr.  Battius  might  have  felt  dis 
posed  to  prolong  the  discourse  it  is  difficult  to  say,  for  in 
addition  to  the  powerful  personal  considerations  which 
induced  him  to  procrastinate  an  experiment  which  was 
certainly  not  without  its  dangers,  the  pride  of  reason  was 
beginning  to  sustain  him  in  the  discussion.  But,  fortu 
nately  for  the  credit  of  the  old  man's  forbearance,  when 
the  naturalist  reached  the  word  with  which  he  terminated 
his  last  speech,  a  sound  arose  in  the  air  that  seemed  a  sort 
of  supernatural  echo  to  the  idea  itself.  The  young  Paw 
nee,  who  had  awaited  the  termination  of  the  incompre 
hensible  discussion  with  grave  and  characteristic  patience, 
raised  his  head  and  listened  to  the  unknown  cry,  like  a 
stag  whose  mysterious  faculties  had  detected  the  footsteps 
of  the  distant  hounds  in  the  gale.  The  trapper  and  the 
Doctor  were  not,  however,  entirely  so  uninstructed  as  to 
the  nature  of  the  extraordinary  sounds.  The  latter  recog 
nized  in  them  the  well-known  voice  of  his  own  beast,  and 
he  was  about  to  rush  up  the  little  bank  which  confined  the 
current,  with  all  the  longings  of  strong  affection,  when 
Asinus  himself  galloped  into  view,  at  no  great  distance, 
urged  to  the  unnatural  gait  by  the  impatient  and  brutal 
Weucha,  who  bestrode  him. 

The  eyes  of  the  Teton  and  those  of  the  fugitives  met. 
The  former  raised  a  long,  loud,  and  piercing  yell,  in  which 
the  notes  of  exultation  were  fearfully  blended  with  those 
of  warning.  The  signal  served  for  a  finishing  blow  to  the 
discussion  on  the  merits  of  the  bark,  the  Doctor  stepping 
as  promptly  to  the  side  of  the  old  man,  as  if  a  mental 
mist  had  been  miraculously  removed  from  his  eyes.  In 
another  instant  the  steed  of  the  young  Pawnee  was  strug 
gling  with  the  torrent. 

The  utmost  strength  of  the  horse  was  needed  to  urge 
the  fugitives  beyond  the  flight  of  arrows  that  came  sailing 


304  THE   PRAIRIE 

through  the  air,  at  the  next  moment.  The  cry  of  Weucha 
had  brought  fifty  of  his  comrades  to  the  shore,  but  for 
tunately,  among  them  all,  there  was  not  one  of  a  rank 
sufficient  to  entitle  him  to  the  privilege  of  bearing  a  fusee. 

One  half  the  stream,  however,  was  not  passed,  before 
the  form  of  Mahtoree  himself  was  seen  on  its  bank,  and 
an  ineffectual  discharge  of  firearms  announced  the  rage 
and  disappointment  of  the  chief.  More  than  once  the 
trapper  had  raised  his  rifle,  as  if  about  to  try  its  power 
on  his  enemies,  but  he  as  often  lowered  it,  without  firing. 
The  eyes  of  the  Pawnee  warrior  glared  like  those  of  the 
cougar,  at  the  sight  of  so  many  of  the  hostile  tribe,  and 
he  answered  the  impotent  effort  of  their  chief,  by  tossing 
a  hand  into  the  air  in  contempt,  and  raising  the  war-cry 
of  his  nation.  The  challenge  was  too  taunting  to  be  en 
dured.  The  Tetons  dashed  into  the  stream  in  a  body,  and 
the  river  became  dotted  with  the  dark  forms  of  beasts  and 
riders. 

There  was  now  a  fearful  struggle  for  the  friendly  bank. 
As  the  Dahcotahs  advanced  with  beasts  which  had  not, 
like  that  of  the  Pawnee,  expended  their  strength  in  for 
mer  efforts,  and  as  they  moved  unencumbered  by  anything 
but  their  riders,  the  speed  of  the  pursuers  greatly  out 
stripped  that  of  the  fugitives.  The  trapper,  who  clearly 
comprehended  the  whole  danger  of  their  situation,  calmly 
turned  his  eyes  from  the  Tetons  to  his  young  Indian  asso 
ciate,  in  order  to  examine  whether  the  resolution  of  the 
latter  began  to  falter,  as  the  former  lessened  the  distance 
between  them.  Instead  of  betraying  fear,  however,  or 
any  of  that  concern  which  might  so  readily  have  been  ex 
cited  by  the  peculiarity  of  his  risk,  the  brow  of  the  young 
warrior  contracted  to  a  look  which  indicated  high  and 
deadly  hostility. 

"Do  you  greatly  value  life,  friend  Doctor?"  demanded 
the  old  man,  with  a  sort  of  philosophical  calmness,  which 
made  the  question  doubly  appalling  to  his  companion. 

"Not  for  itself,"  returned  the  naturalist,  sipping  some 
of  the  water  of  the  river  from  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  in 
order  to  clear  his  husky  throat.  "Not  for  itself,  but  ex 
ceedingly,  inasmuch  as  natural  history  has  so  deep  a  stake 
in  my  existence.  Therefore " 


THE   PRAIRIE  305 

"Ay!"  resumed  the  other,  who  mused  too  deeply  to 
dissect  the  ideas  of  the  Doctor  with  his  usual  sagacity, 

'tis  in  truth  the  history  of  natur',  and  a  base  and  craven 
feeling  it  is!  Now  is  life  as  precious  to  this  young  Paw 
nee  as  to  any  governor  in  the  States,  and  he  might  save 
it,  or  at  least  stand  some  chance  of  saving  it,  by  letting 
us  go  down  the  stream;  and  yet  you  see  he  keeps  his  faith 
manfully,  and  like  an  Indian  warrior.  For  myself,  I  am 
old,  and  willing  to  take  the  fortune  that  the  Lord  may  see 
fit  to  give,  nor  do  I  conceit  that  you  are  of  much  benefit 
to  mankind;  and  it  is  a  crying  shame,  if  not  a  sin,  that  so 
fine  a  youth  as  this  should  lose  his  scalp  for  two  beings  so 
worthless  as  ourselves.  I  am  therefore  disposed,  provided 
that  it  shall  prove  agreeable  to  you,  to  tell  the  lad  to  make 
the  best  of  his  way,  and  to  leave  us  to  the  mercy  of  the 
Tetons." 

"I  repel  the  proposition,  as  repugnant  to  nature,  and 
as  treason  to  science!"  exclaimed  the  alarmed  naturalist. 
"Our  progress  is  miraculous;  and  as  this  admirable  in 
vention  moves  with  so  wonderful  a  facility,  a  few  more 
minutes  will  serve  to  bring  us  to  land." 

The  old  man  regarded  him  intently  for  an  instant,  and 
shaking  his  head  he  said: 

"Lord,  what  a  thing  is  fear!  it  transforms  the  creatur's 
of  the  world  and  the  craft  of  man,  making  that  which  is 
ugly,  seemly  in  our  eyes,  and  that  which  is  beautiful, 
unsightly!  Lord,  Lord,  what  a  thing  is  fear!" 

A  termination  was,  however,  put  to  the  discussion,  by 
the  increasing  interest  of  the  chase.  The  horses  of  the 
Dahcotahs  had  by  this  time  gained  the  middle  of  the  cur 
rent,  and  their  riders  were  already  filling  the  air  with 
yells  of  triumph.  At  this  moment  Middleton  and  Paul, 
who  had  led  the  females  to  a  little  thicket,  appeared  again 
on  the  margin  of  the  stream,  menacing  their  enemies  with 
the  rifle. 

"Mount,  mount,"  shouted  the  trapper,  the  instant  he 
beheld  them;  "mount  and  fly,  if  you  value  those  who  lean 
on  you  for  help.  Mount,  and  leave  us  in  the  hands  of  the 
Lord." 

"Stoop  your  head,  old  trapper,"  returned  the  voice  of 
Paul,  "down  with  ye  both  into  your  nest.  The  Teton 

20 


306  THE   PRAIRIE 

devil  is  in  your  line;  down  with  your  heads  and  make  way 
for  a  Kentucky  bullet. ' ' 

The  old  man  turned  his  head,  and  saw  that  the  eager 
Mahtoree,  who  preceded  his  party  some  distance,  had 
brought  himself  nearly  in  a  line  with  the  bark  and  the 
bee-hunter,  who  stood  perfectly  ready  to  execute  his  hos 
tile  threat.  Bending  his  body  low,  the  rifle  was  dis 
charged,  and  the  swift  lead  whizzed  harmlessly  past  him, 
on  its  more  distant  errand.  But  the  eye  of  the  Teton 
chief  was  not  less  quick  and  certain  than  that  of  his 
enemy.  He  threw  himself  from  his  horse  the  moment 
preceding  the  report,  and  sank  into  the  water.  The  beast 
snorted  with  terror  and  anguish,  throwing  half  his  form 
out  of  the  river  in  a  desperate  plunge.  Then  he  was  seen 
drifting  away  in  the  torrent,  and  dyeing  the  turbid  waters 
with  his  blood. 

The  Teton  chief  soon  reappeared  on  the  surface,  and 
understanding  the  nature  of  his  loss,  he  swam  with  vigor 
ous  strokes  to  the  nearest  of  the  young  men,  who  relin 
quished  his  steed,  as  a  matter  of  course,  to  so  renowned  a 
warrior.  The  incident,  however,  created  a  confusion  in 
the  whole  of  the  Dahcotah  band,  who  appeared  to  await 
the  intention  of  their  leader,  before  they  renewed  their 
efforts  to  reach  the  shore.  In  the  meantime  the  vessel  of 
skin  had  reached  the  land,  and  the  fugitives  were  once 
more  united  on  the  margin  of  the  river. 

The  savages  were  now  swimming  about  in  indecision, 
as  a  flock  of  pigeons  is  often  seen  to  hover  in  confusion 
after  receiving  a  heavy  discharge  into  its  leading  column, 
apparently  hesitating  on  the  risk  of  storming  a  bank  so 
formidably  defended.  The  well-known  precaution  of 
Indian  warfare  prevailed,  and  Mahtoree,  admonished  by 
his  recent  adventures,  led  his  warriors  back  to  the  shore 
from  which  they  had  come,  in  order  to  relieve  their 
beasts,  which  were  already  becoming  unruly. 

"Now,  mount  you  with  the  tender  ones,  and  ride  for 
yonder  hillock,"  said  the  trapper;  "beyond  it  you  will 
find  another  stream,  into  which  you  must  enter,  and  turn 
ing  to  the  sun,  follow  its  bed  for  a  mile,  until  you  reach 
a  high  and  sandy  plain;  there  will  I  meet  you.  Go; 
mount;  this  Pawnee  youth  and  I,  and  my  stout  friend  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  307 

physician,  who  is  a  desperate  warrior,  are  men  enough  to 
keep  the  bank,  seeing  that  show  and  not  use  is  all  that  is 
needed." 

Middleton  and  Paul  saw  no  use  in  wasting  their  breath 
in  remonstrances  against  this  proposal.  Glad  to  know 
that  their  rear  was  to  be  covered,  even  in  this  imperfect 
manner,  they  hastily  got  their  horses  in  motion,  and  soon 
disappeared  on  the  required  route.  Some  twenty  or  thirty 
minutes  succeeded  this  movement,  before  the  Tetons  on 
the  opposite  shore  seemed  inclined  to  enter  on  any  new 
enterprise.  Mahtoree  was  distinctly  visible,  in  the  midst 
of  his  warriors,  issuing  his  mandates  and  betraying  his 
desire  for  vengeance,  by  occasionally  shaking  an  arm  in 
the  direction  of  the  fugitives;  but  no  step  was  taken  which 
appeared  to  threaten  any  further  act  of  immediate  hostil 
ity.  At  length  a  yell  arose  among  the  savages,  which 
announced  the  occurrence  of  some  fresh  event.  Then  Ish- 
mael  and  his  sluggish  sons  were  seen  in  the  distance,  and 
soon  the  whole  of  the  united  force  moved  down  to  the  very 
limits  of  the  stream.  The  squatter  proceeded  to  examine 
the  position  of  his  enemies  with  his  usual  coolness,  and 
as  if  to  try  the  power  of  his  rifle,  he  sent  a  bullet  among 
them,  with  a  force  sufficient  to  do  execution,  even  at  the 
distance  at  which  he  stood. 

"Now  let  us  depart!"  exclaimed  Obed,  endeavoring  to 
catch  a  furtive  glimpse  of  the  lead,  which  he  fancied  was 
whizzing  at  his  very  ear;  "we  have  maintained  the  bank 
in  a  gallant  manner  for  a  sufficient  length  of  time;  quite 
as  much  military  skill  is  to  be  displayed  in  a  retreat  as  in 
an  advance." 

The  old  man  cast  a  look  behind  him,  and  seeing  that  the 
equestrians  had  reached  the  cover  of  the  hill,  he  made  no 
objections  to  the  proposal.  The  remaining  horse  was  given 
to  the  Doctor,  with  instructions  to  pursue  the  course  just 
taken  by  Middleton  and  Paul.  When  the  naturalist  was 
mounted  and  in  full  retreat,  the  trapper  and  the  young 
Pawnee  stole  from  the  spot  in  such  a  manner  as  to  leave 
their  enemies  for  some  time  in  doubt  as  to  their  move 
ments.  Instead,  however,  of  proceeding  across  the  plain 
towards  the  hill,  a  route  on  which  they  must  have  been  in 
open  view,  they  took  a  shorter  path,  covered  by  the  for- 


308  THE   PRAIRIE 

mation  of  the  ground,  and  intersected  the  little  water 
course  at  the  point  where  Middleton  had  been  directed  to 
leave  it,  and  just  in  season  to  join  his  party.  The  Doctor 
had  used  so  much  diligence  in  the  retreat  as  to  have  al 
ready  overtaken  his  friends,  and  of  course  all  the  fugitives 
were  again  assembled. 

The  trapper  now  looked  about  him  for  some  convenient 
spot  where  the  whole  party  might  halt,  as  he  expressed  it, 
for  some  five  or  six  hours. 

"Halt!"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  when  the  alarming  pro 
posal  reached  his  ears;  "venerable  hunter,  it  would  seem 
that  on  the  contrary  many  days  should  be  passed  in  indus 
trious  flight." 

Middleton  and  Paul  were  both  of  this  opinion,  and  each 
in  his  particular  manner  expressed  as  much. 

The  old  man  heard  them  with  patience,  but  shook  his 
head  like  one  who  was  unconvinced,  and  then  answered  all 
their  arguments  in  one  general  and  positive  reply. 

"Why  should  we  fly?"  he  asked.  "Can  the  legs  of 
mortal  men  outstrip  the  speed  of  horses?  Do  you  think 
the  Tetons  will  lie  down  and  sleep;  or  will  they  cross  the 
water  and  nose  for  our  trail?  Thanks  be  to  the  Lord,  we 
have  washed  it  well  in  this  stream,  and  if  we  leave  the 
place  with  discretion  and  wisdom  we  may  yet  throw  them 
off  its  track.  But  a  prairie  is  not  a  wood.  There  a  man 
may  journey  long,  caring  for  nothing  but  the  prints  his 
moccasin  leaves,  whereas  on  these  open  plains  a  runner 
placed  on  yonder  hill,  for  instance,  could  see  far  on  every 
side  of  him,  like  a  hovering  hawk  looking  down  on  his 
prey.  No,  no;  night  must  come  and  darkness  be  upon  us 
afore  we  leave  this  spot.  But  listen  to  the  words  of  the 
Pawnee;  he  is  a  lad  of  spirit,  and  I  warrant  me  many  is 
the  hard  race  that  he  has  run  with  the  Sioux  bands.  Does 
my  brother  think  our  trail  is  long  enough?"  he  demanded 
in  the  Indian  tongue. 

"Is  a  Teton  a  fish,  that  he  can  see  it  in  the  river?" 

"But  my  young  men  think  we  should  stretch  it  until  it 
reaches  across  the  prairie." 

"Mahtoree  has  eyes;  he  will  see  it." 

"What  does  my  brother  counsel?" 

The  young  warrior  studied  the  heavens  a  moment,  and 


THE   PRAIRIE  309 

appeared  to  hesitate.     He  mused  some  time  with  himself, 
and  then  he  replied,  like  one  whose  opinion  was  fixed: 

"The  Dahcotahs  are  not  asleep,"  he  said;  "we  must  lie 
in  the  grass." 

"Ah!  the  lad  is  of  my  mind,"  said  the  old  man,  briefly 
explaining  the  opinion  of  his  companion  to  his  white 
friends.  Middleton  was  obliged  to  acquiesce,  and,  as  it 
was  confessedly  dangerous  to  remain  upon  their  feet,  each 
one  set  about  assisting  in  the  means  to  be  adopted  for 
their  security.  Inez  and  Ellen  were  quickly  bestowed 
beneath  the  warm  and  not  uncomfortable  shelter  of  the 
buffalo  skins,  which  formed  a  thick  covering,  and  tall 
grass  was  drawn  over  the  place  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
evade  any  examination  from  a  common  eye.  Paul  and  the 
Pawnee  fettered  the  beasts  and  cast  them  to  the  earth, 
where,  after  supplying  them  with  food,  they  were  also 
left  concealed  in  the  fog  of  the  prairie.  No  time  was  lost 
when  these  several  arrangements  were  completed  before 
each  of  the  others  sought  a  place  of  rest  and  concealment, 
and  then  the  plain  appeared  again  deserted  to  its  solitude. 

The  old  man  had  advised  his  companions  of  the  absolute 
necessity  of  their  continuing  for  hours  in  this  concealment. 
All  their  hopes  of  escape  depended  on  the  success  of  the 
artifice.  If  they  might  elude  the  cunning  of  their  pursuers 
by  this  simple  and  therefore  less  suspected  expedient,  they 
could  renew  their  flight,  as  the  evening  approached,  and, 
by  changing  their  course,  the  chance  of  final  success 
would  be  greatly  increased.  Influenced  by  these  momen 
tous  considerations  the  whole  party  lay  musing  on  their 
situation,  until  thoughts  grew  weary,  and  sleep  finally 
settled  on  them  all,  one  after  another. 

The  deepest  silence  had  prevailed  for  hours,  when  the 
quick  ears  of  the  trapper  and  the  Pawnee  were  startled 
by  a  faint  cry  of  surprise  from  Inez.  Springing  to  their 
feet,  like  men  who  were  about  to  struggle  for  their  lives, 
they  found  the  vast  plain,  the  rolling  swells,  the  little 
hillock,  and  the  scattered  thickets,  covered  alike  in  one 
white,  dazzling  sheet  of  snow. 

"The  Lord  have  mercy  on  ye  all!"  exclaimed  the  • 
man,   regarding  the  prospect  with  a  rueful  eye;  "now, 
Pawnee,  do  I  know  the  reason  why  you  studied  the  clouds 


310  THE   PRAIRIE 

so  closely;  but  it  is  too  late;  it  is  too  late!  A  squirrel 
would  leave  his  trail  on  this  light  coating  of  the  'arth. 
Ha!  there  come  the  imps  to  a  certainty.  Down  with  ye 
all,  down  with  ye;  your  chance  is  but  small,  and  yet  it 
must  not  be  wilfully  cast  away." 

The  whole  party  was  instantly  concealed  again,  though 
many  an  anxious  and  stolen  glance  was  directed  through 
the  tops  of  the  grass,  on  the  movements  of  their  enemies. 
At  the  distance  of  half  a  mile,  the  Teton  band  was  seen 
riding  in  a  circuit,  which  was  gradually  contracting  itself, 
and  evidently  closing  upon  the  very  spot  where  the  fugi 
tives  lay.  There  was  but  little  difficulty  in  solving  the 
mystery  of  this  movement.  The  snow  had  fallen  in  time 
to  assure  them  that  those  they  sought  were  in  their  rear, 
and  they  were  now  employed,  with  the  unwearied  perse 
verance  and  patience  of  Indian  warriors,  in  circling  the 
certain  boundaries  of  their  place  of  concealment. 

Each  minute  added  to  the  jeopardy  of  the  fugitives. 
Paul  and  Middleton  deliberately  prepared  their  rifles,  and 
as  the  occupied  Mahtoree  came,  at  length,  within  fifty 
feet  of  them,  keeping  his  eyes  riveted  on  the  grass  through 
which  he  rode,  they  leveled  them  together  and  pulled  the 
triggers.  The  effort  was  answered  by  the  mere  snapping 
of  the  locks. 

"Enough,"  said  the  old  man,  rising  with  dignity;  "I 
have  cast  away  the  priming;  for  certain  death  would  fol 
low  your  rashness.  Now  let  us  meet  our  fates  like  men. 
Cringing  and  complaining  find  no  favor  in  Indian  eyes." 

His  appearance  was  greeted  by  a  yell  that  spread  far 
and  wide  over  the  plain,  and  in  a  moment  a  hundred  sav 
ages  were  seen  riding  madly  to  the  spot.  Mahtoree  re 
ceived  his  prisoners  with  great  self-restraint,  though  a 
single  gleam  of  fierce  joy  broke  through  his  clouded 
brow,  and  the  heart  of  Middleton  grew  cold  as  he  caught 
the  expression  of  that  eye,  which  the  chief  turned  on  the 
nearly  insensible  but  still  lovely  Inez. 

The  exultation  of  receiving  the  white  captives  was  so 
great,  as  for  a  time  to  throw  the  dark  and  immovable 
form  of  their  young  Indian  companion  entirely  out  of 
view.  He  stood  apart,  disdaining  to  turn  an  eye  on  his 
enemies,  as  motionless  as  if  he  were  frozen  in  that  attitude 


THE   PRAIRIE  311 

of  dignity  and  composure.  But  when  a  little  time  had 
passed,  even  this  secondary  object  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  Tetons.  Then  it  was  that  the  trapper  first  learned, 
by  the  shout  of  triumph  and  the  long-drawn  yell  of  delight, 
which  burst  at  once  from  a  hundred  threats,  as  well  as  by 
the  terrible  name  which  filled  the  air,  that  his  youthful 
friend  was  no  other  than  that  redoubtable  and  hitherto 
invincible  warrior,  Hard-Heart. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

"  What,  are  ancient  Pistol  and  you  friends,  yet  ?" 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  curtain  of  our  imperfect  drama  must  fall  to  rise 
upon  another  scene.  The  time  is  advanced  several  days 
during  which  very  material  changes  had  occurred  in  the 
situation  of  the  actors.  The  hour  is  noon,  and  the  place 
an  elevated  plain,  that  rose,  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
water,  somewhat  abruptly  from  a  fertile  bottom  which 
stretched  along  the  margin  of  one  of  the  numberless  water 
courses  of  that  region.  The  river  took  its  rise  near  the 
base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and,  after  washing  a  vast 
extent  of  plain,  it  mingled  its  waters  with  a  still  larger 
stream,  to  become  finally  lost  in  the  turbid  current  of  the 
Missouri. 

The  landscape  was  changed  materially  for  the  better; 
though  the  hand  which  had  impressed  so  much  of  the 
desert  on  the  surrounding  region,  had  laid  a  portion  of 
its  power  on  this  spot.  The  appearance  of  vegetation  was. 
however,  less  discouraging  than  in  the  more  sterile  wastes 
of  the  rolling  prairies.  Clusters  of  trees  were  scattered 
in  greater  profusion,  and  a  long  outline  of  ragged  forest 
marked  the  northern  boundary  of  the  view.  Here  and 
there,  on  the  bottom,  were  to  be  seen  the  evidences  of  a 
hasty  and  imperfect  culture  of  such  indigenous  vegetables 
as  were  of  a  quick  growth,  and  which  were  known  to  flour 
ish  without  the  aid  of  art  in  deep  and  alluvial  soils.  On 
the  very  edge  of  what  might  be  called  the  table-land,  were 
pitched  the  hundred  lodges  of  a  horde  of  wandering  Sioux. 
Their  light  tenements  were  arranged  without  the  least 
attention  to  order.  Proximity  to  the  water  seemed  to  be 
the  only  consideration  which  had  been  consulted  in  their 
disposition,  nor  had  even  this  important  convenience  been 
always  regarded.  While  most  of  the  lodges  stood  along 

312 


THE   PRAIRIE  313 

the  brow  of  the  plain,  many  were  to  be  seen  at  greater 
distances,  occupying  such  places  as  had  first  pleased  the 
capricious  eyes 'of  their  untutored  owners.  The  encamp 
ment  was  not  military,  nor  in  the  slightest  degree  pro 
tected  from  surprise  by  its  position  or  defenses.  It  was 
open  on  every  side,  and  on  every  side  as  accessible  as  any 
other  point  in  those  wastes,  if  the  imperfect  and  natural 
obstruction  offered  by  the  river  be  excepted.  In  short, 
the  place  bore  the  appearance  of  having  been  tenanted 
longer  than  its  occupants  had  originally  intended,  while  it 
was  not  wanting  in  the  signs  of  readiness  for  a  hasty,  or 
even  a  compelled  departure. 

This  was  the  temporary  encampment  of  that  portion  of 
his  people  who  had  long  been  hunting  under  the  direction 
of  Mahtoree,  on  those  grounds  which  separated  the  sta 
tionary  abodes  of  his  nation  from  those  of  the  warlike 
tribes  of  the  Pawnees.  The  lodges  were  tents  of  skin, 
high,  conical,  and  of  the  most  simple  and  primitive  con 
struction.  The  shield,  the  quiver,  the  lance,  and  the  bow 
of  its  master,  were  to  be  seen  suspended  from  a  light  post 
before  the  opening  or  door  of  each  habitation.  The  differ 
ent  domestic  implements  of  his  one,  two,  or  three  wives, 
as  the  brave  was  of  greater  or  lesser  renown,  were  care 
lessly  thrown  at  its  side,  and  here  and  there  the  round, 
full,  patient  countenance  of  an  infant  might  be  found 
peeping  from  its  comfortless  wrappers  of  bark,  as,  sus 
pended  by  a  deerskin  thong  from  the  same  post,  it  rocked 
in  the  passing  air.  Children  of  a  larger  growth  were 
tumbling  over  each  other  in  piles,  the  males,  even  at  that 
early  age,  making  themselves  distinguished  for  that  spe 
cies  of  domination  which,  in  after  life,  was  to  mark  the 
vast  distinction  between  the  sexes.  Youths  were  in  the 
bottom,  essaying  their  juvenile  powers  in  curbing  the 
wild  steeds  of  their  fathers,  while  here  and  there  a  truant 
girl  was  to  be  seen  stealing  from  her  labors  to  admire 
their  fierce  and  impatient  daring. 

Thus  far  the  picture  was  the  daily  exhibition  of  an  en 
campment  confident  in  its  security.  But  immediately  in 
front  of  the  lodges  was  a  gathering  that  seemed  to  fore 
bode  some  movements  of  more  than  usual  interest.  A  few 
of  the  withered  and  remorseless  crones  of  the  band  were 


314  THE   PRAIRIE 

clustering  together,  in  readiness  to  lend  their  fell  voices, 
if  needed,  to  aid  in  exciting  their  descendants  to  an 
exhibition  which  their  depraved  tastes  coveted,  as  the 
luxurious  Roman  dame  witnessed  the  struggles  and  the 
agony  of  the  gladiator.  The  men  were  subdivided  into 
groups,  assorted  according  to  the  deeds  and  reputa 
tions  of  the  several  individuals  of  whom  they  were  com 
posed. 

They  who  were  of  that  equivocal  age  which  admitted 
them  to  the  hunts,  while  their  discretion  was  still  too 
doubtful  to  permit  them  to  be  trusted  on  the  war-path, 
hung  around  the  skirts  of  the  whole,  catching  from  the 
fierce  models  before  them  that  gravity  of  demeanor  and 
restraint  of  manner  which  in  time  was  to  become  so  deeply 
ingrafted  in  their  own  characters.  A  few  of  the  still  older 
class,  and  who  had  heard  the  whoop  in  anger,  were  a  little 
more  presuming,  pressing  nigher  to  the  chiefs,  though  far 
from  presuming  to  mingle  in  their  councils,  sufficiently 
distinguished  by  being  permitted  to  catch  the  wisdom 
which  fell  from  lips  so  venerated.  The  ordinary  warriors 
of  the  band  were  still  less  diffident,  not  hesitating  to 
mingle  among  the  chiefs  of  lesser  note,  though  far  from 
assuming  the  right  to  dispute  the  sentiments  of  any 
established  brave,  or  to  call  in  question  the  prudence  of 
measures  that  were  recommended  by  the  more  gifted 
counselors  of  the  nation. 

Among  the  chiefs  themselves  there  was  a  singular  com 
pound  of  exterior.  They  were  divided  into  two  classes; 
those  who  were  mainly  indebted  for  their  influence  to 
physical  causes  and  to  deeds  in  arms,  and  those  who  had 
become  distinguished  rather  for  their  wisdom  than  for 
their  services  in  the  field.  The  former  was  by  far  the 
most  numerous  and  the  most  important  class.  They  were 
men  of  stature  and  mien,  whose  stern  countenances  were 
often  rendered  doubly  imposing  by  those  evidences  of 
their  valor  which  had  been  roughly  traced  on  their  linea 
ments  by  the  hands  of  their  enemies.  That  class  which 
had  gained  its  influence  by  a  moral  ascendency  was  ex 
tremely  limited.  They  were  uniformly  to  be  distinguished 
by  the  quick  and  lively  expression  of  their  eyes,  by  the 
air  of  distrust  that  marked  their  movements,  and  occa- 


THE   PRAIRIE  315 

sionally  by  the  vehemence  of  their  utterance  in  those  sud 
den  outbreakings  of  the  mind  by  which  their  present  con 
sultations  were  from  time  to  time  distinguished. 

In  the  very  center  of  a  ring  formed  by  these  chosen 
counselors  was  to  be  seen  the  person  of  the  disquieted,  but 
seemingly  calm,  Mahtoree.  There  was  a  conjunction  of 
all  the  several  qualities  of  the  others  in  his  person  and 
character.  Mind  as  well  as  matter  had  contributed  to 
establish  his  authority.  His  scars  were  as  numerous  and 
deep  as  those  of  the  whitest  head  in  his  nation;  his  limbs 
were  in  their  greatest  vigor;  his  courage  at  its  fullest 
height.  Endowed  with  this  rare  combination  of  moral 
and  physical  influence,  the  keenest  eye  in  all  that  assembly 
was  wont  to  lower  before  his  threatening  glance.  Courage 
and  cunning  had  established  his  ascendency,  and  it  had 
been  rendered  in  some  degree  sacred  by  time.  He  knew 
so  well  how  to  unite  the  powers  of  reason  and  force,  that 
in  a  state  of  society  which  admitted  of  greater  display  of 
his  energies,  the  Teton  would  in  all  probability  have  been 
both  a  conqueror  and  a  despot. 

A  little  apart  from  the  gathering  of  the  band  was  to  be 
seen  a  set  of  beings  of  an  entirely  different  origin.  Taller 
and  far  more  muscular  in  their  persons,  the  lingering  ves 
tiges  of  their  Saxon  and  Norman  ancestry  were  yet  to  be 
found  beneath  the  swarthy  complexions  which  had  been 
bestowed  by  an  American  sun.  It  would  have  been  a 
curious  investigation  for  one  skilled  in  such  an  inquiiy 
to  have  traced  those  points  of  difference  by  which  the  off 
spring  of  the  most  western  European  was  still  to  be  dis 
tinguished  from  the  descendant  of  the  most  remote  Asiatic, 
now  that  the  two,  in  the  revolutions  of  the  world,  were 
approximating  in  their  habits,  their  residence,  and  not  a 
little  in  their  characters.  The  group  of  whom  we  write 
was  composed  of  the  family  of  the  squatter.  They  stood, 
indolent,  lounging,  and  inert  as  usual  when  no  immediate 
demand  was  made  on  their  dormant  energies,  clustered  in 
front  of  some  four  or  five  habitations  of  skin,  for  which 
they  were  indebted  to  the  hospitality  of  their  Teton  allies. 
The  terms  of  their  unexpected  confederation  were  suffi 
ciently  explained  by  the  presence  of  the  horses  and 
domestic  cattle  that  were  quietly  grazing  on  the  bottom 


316  THE   PRAIRIE 

beneath,  under  the  jealous  eyes  of  the  spirited  Hetty. 
Their  wagons  were  drawn  about  the  lodges  in  a  sort  of 
irregular  barrier,  which  at  once  manifested  that  their 
confidence  was  not  entirely  restored,  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  their  policy  or  indolence  prevented  any  very  positive 
exhibition  of  distrust.  There  was  a  singular  union  of 
passive  enjoyment  and  of  dull  curiosity  slumbering  in 
every  dull  countenance,  as  each  of  the  party  stood  leaning 
on  his  rifle  regarding  the  movements  of  the  Sioux  confer 
ence.  Still  no  sign  of  expectation  or  interest  escaped  from 
the  youngest  among  them,  the  whole  appearing  to  emulate 
the  most  phlegmatic  of  their  savage  allies  in  an  exhibi 
tion  of  patience.  They  rarely  spoke;  and  when  they  did 
it  was  in  some  short  and  contemptuous  remark,  which 
served  to  put  the  physical  superiority  of  a  white  man  and 
that  of  an  Indian  in  a  sufficiently  striking  point  of  view. 
In  short,  the  family  of  Ishmael  appeared  now  to  be  in  the 
plenitude  of  an  enjoyment  which  depended  on  inactivity, 
but  which  was  not  entirely  free  from  certain  confused 
glimmerings  of  a  perspective  in  which  their  security  stood 
in  some  litttle  danger  of  a  rude  interruption  from  Teton 
treachery.  Abiram  alone  formed  a  solitary  exception  to 
this  state  of  equivocal  repose. 

After  a  life  passed  in  the  commission  of  a  thousand 
mean  and  insignificant  villainies,  the  mind  of  the  kidnap 
per  had  become  hardy  enough  to  attempt  the  desperate 
adventure  which  has  been  laid  before  the  reader  in  the 
course  of  the  narrative.  His  influence  over  the  bolder 
but  less  active  spirit  of  Ishmael  was  far  from  great,  and 
had  not  the  latter  been  suddenly  expelled  a  fertile  bottom, 
of  which  he  had  taken  possession  with  intent  to  keep  it 
without  much  deference  to  the  forms  of  law,  he  would 
never  have  succeeded  in  enlisting  the  husband  of  his  sister 
in  an  enterprise  that  required  so  much  decision  and  fore 
thought.  Their  original  success  and  subsequent  disappoint 
ment  have  been  seen;  and  Abiram  now  sat  apart,  plotting 
the  means  by  which  he  might  secure  to  himself  the  advan 
tages  of  his  undertaking,  which  he  perceived  were  each 
moment  becoming  more  uncertain  through  the  open  ad 
miration  of  Mahtoree  for  the  innocent  subject  of  his  vil- 
lany.  We  shall  leave  him  to  his  vacillating  and  confused 


THE   PRAIRIE  317 

expedients,  in  order  to  pass  to  the  description  of  certain 
other  personages  in  the  drama. 

There  was  still  another  corner  of  the  picture  that  was 
occupied.  On  a  little  bank  at  the  extreme  right  of  the 
encampment  lay  the  forms  of  Middleton  and  Paul.  Their 
limbs  were  painfully  bound  with  thongs  cut  from  the  skin 
of  a  bison,  while,  by  a  sort  of  refinement  in  cruelty,  they 
were  so  placed  that  each  could  see  a  reflection  of  his  own 
misery  in  the  case  of  his  neighbor.  Within  a  dozen  yards 
of  them  a  post  was  set  firmly  in  the  ground,  and  against 
it  was  bound  the  light  and  Apollo-like  person  of  Hard- 
Heart.  Between  the  two  stood  the  trapper,  deprived  of 
his  rifle,  his  pouch,  and  his  horn,  but  otherwise  left  in  a 
sort  of  contemptuous  liberty.  Some  five  or  six  young  war 
riors,  however,  with  quivers  at  their  backs  and  long  tough 
bows  dangling  from  their  shoulders,  who  stood  with  grave 
watchfulness  at  no  great  distance  from  the  spot,  sufficiently 
proclaimed  how  fruitless  any  attempt  to  escape  on  the  part 
of  one  so  aged  and  so  feeble  might  prove.  Unlike  the 
other  spectators  of  the  important  conference,  these  indi 
viduals  were  engaged  in  a  discourse  that  for  them  con 
tained  an  interest  of  its  own. 

"Captain,"  said  the  bee-hunter,  with  an  expression  of 
comical  concern  that  no  misfortune  could  depress  in  one 
of  his  buoyant  feelings,  "do  you  really  find  that  accursed 
strap  of  untanned  leather  cutting  into  your  shoulder,  or 
is  it  only  the  tickling  in  my  own  arm  that  I  feel?" 

"When  the  spirit  suffers  so  deeply  the  body  is  insensible 
to  pain, ' '  returned  the  more  refined,  though  scarcely  so 
spirited  Middleton;  "would  to  Heaven  that  some  of  my 
trusty  artillerists  might  fall  upon  this  accursed  encamp 
ment." 

"You  might  as  well  wish  that  these  Teton  lodges  were 
so  many  hives  of  hornets,  and  that  the  insects  would  come 
forth  and  battle  with  yonder  tribe  of  half-naked  savages. " 
Then,  chuckling  with  his  own  conceit,  the  bee-hunter 
turned  away  from  his  companion,  and  sought  a  momen 
tary  relief  from  his  misery  by  imagining  that  so  wild  an 
idea  might  be  realized,  and  fancying  the  manner  in  which 
the  attack  would  upset  even  the  well-established  patience 
of  an  Indian. 


318  THE   PRAIRIE 

Middleton  was  glad  to  be  silent;  but  the  old  man,  who 
had  listened  to  their  words,  drew  a  little  nigher,  and 
continued  the  discourse. 

"Here  is  likely  to  be  a  merciless  and  a  hellish  busi 
ness!"  he  said,  shaking  his  head  in  a  manner  to  prove 
that  even  his  experience  was  at  a  loss  for  a  remedy  in  so 
trying  a  dilemma.  "Our  Pawnee  friend  is  already  staked 
for  the  torture,  and  I  well  know,  by  the  eye  and  the  coun 
tenance  of  the  great  Sioux,  that  he  is  leading  on  the 
temper  of  his  people  to  further  enormities." 

"Harkee,  old  trapper,"  said  Paul,  writhing  in  his  bonds 
to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  other's  melancholy  face;  "you 
ar'  skilled  in  Indian  tongues,  and  know  somewhat  of  Indian 
deviltries.  Go  you  to  the  council,  and  tell  their  chiefs  in 
my  name,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  name  of  Paul  Hover,  of 
the  State  of  Kentucky,  that  provided  they  will  guarantee 
the  safe  return  of  one  Ellen  Wade  into  the  States,  they  are 
welcome  to  take  his  scalp  when  and  in  such  manner  as 
best  suits  their  amusements;  or,  if-so-be  they  will  not 
trade  on  these  conditions,  you  may  throw  in  an  hour  or 
two  of  torture  beforehand,  in  order  to  sweeten  the  bargain 
to  their  damnable  appetites." 

"Ah!  lad,  it  is  little  they  would  hearken  to  such  an 
offer,  knowing,  as  they  do,  that  you  are  already  like  a 
bear  in  a  trap,  as  little  able  to  fight  as  to  fly.  But  be  not 
downhearted,  for  the  color  of  a  white  man  is  sometimes 
his  death-warrant  among  these  far  tribes  of  savages,  and 
sometimes  his  shield.  Though  they  love  us  not,  cunning 
often  ties  their  hands.  Could  the  red  nations  work  their 
will,  trees  would  shortly  be  growing  again  on  the  ploughed 
fields  of  America,  and  woods  would  be  whitened  with 
Christian  bones.  No  one  can  doubt  that,  who  knows  the 
quality  of  the  love  which  a  red-skin  bears  a  pale  face;  but 
they  have  counted  our  numbers  until  their  memories  fail 
them,  and  they  are  not  without  their  policy.  Therefore 
is  our  fate  unsettled ;  but  I  fear  me  there  is  small  hope 
left  for  the  Pawnee!" 

As  the  old  man  concluded,  he  walked  slowly  towards 
the  subject  of  his  latter  observation,  taking  his  post  at  no 
great  distance  from  his  side.  Here  he  stood,  observing 
such  a  silence  and  mien  as  became  him  to  manifest,  to  a 


THE   PRAIRIE  319 

chief  so  renowned  and  so  situated  as  his  captive  associate. 
But  the  eye  of  Hard-Heart  was  fastened  on  the  distance, 
and  his  whole  air  was  that  of  one  whose  thoughts  were 
entirely  removed  from  the  present  scene. 

"The  Sioux  are  in  council  on  my  brother,"  the  trap 
per  at  length  observed,  when  he  found  he  could  only 
attract  the  other's  attention  by  speaking. 

The  young  partisan  turned  his  head  with  a  calm  smile 
as  he  answered: 

"They  are  counting  the  scalps  over  the  lodge  of  Hard- 
Heart!" 

"No  doubt,  no  doubt;  their  tempers  begin  to  mount,  as 
they  remember  the  number  of  Tetons  you  have  struck, 
and  better  would  it  be  for  you  now,  had  more  of  your  days 
been  spent  in  chasing  the  deer,  and  fewer  on  the  war 
path.  Then  some  childless  mother  of  this  tribe  might  take 
you  in  the  place  of  her  lost  son,  and  your  time  would  be 
filled  in  peace." 

"Does  my  father  think  that  a  warrior  can  ever  die? 
The  Master  of  Life  does  not  open  His  hand  to  take  away 
His  gifts  again.  When  He  wants  his  young  men  He  calls 
them,  and  they  go.  But  the  red-skin  He  has  once  breathed 
on  lives  forever." 

"Ay,  this  is  a  more  comfortable  and  a  more  humble 
faith  than  that  which  yonder  heartless  Teton  harbors! 
There  is  something  in  these  Loups  which  opens  my  inmost 
heart  to  them;  they  seem  to  have  the  courage,  ay,  and 
the  honesty,  too,  of  the  Delawares  of  the  hills.  And  this 
lad — it  is  wonderful,  it  is  very  wonderful ;  but  the  age, 
and  the  eye,  and  the  limbs  are  as  if  they  might  have  been 
brothers!  Tell  me  Pawnee,  have  you  ever  in  your  tradi 
tions  heard  of  a  mighty  people  who  once  lived  on  the 
shores  of  the  Salt-lake  hard  by  the  rising  sun?" 

"The  earth  is  white,  by  people  of  the  color  of  my 
father." 

"Nay,  nay,  I  speak  not  now  of  any  strollers  who  have 
crept  into  the  land  to  rob  the  lawful  owners  of  their 
birthright,  but  of  a  people  who  are,  or  rather  were,  what 
with  nature  and  what  with  paint,  red  as  the  berry  on  the 
bush." 

"I  have  heard  the  old  me»  say,  that  there  were  bands 


320  THE   PRAIRIE 

who  hid  themselves  in  the  woods  under  the  rising  sun, 
because  they  dared  not  come-  upon  the  open  prairies  to 
fight  with  men." 

"Do  not  your  traditions  tell  you  of  the  greatest,  the 
bravest,  and  the  wisest  nation  of  red-skins  that  the 
Wahcondah  has  ever  breathed  upon?" 

Hard-Heart  raised  his  head,  with  a  loftiness  and  dignity 
that  even  his  bonds  could  not  repress,  as  he  answered  : 

"Has  age  blinded  my  father;  or  does  he  see  so  many 
Sioux  that  he  believes  there  are  no  longer  any  Pawnees?" 

"Ah!  such  is  mortal  vanity  and  pride!"  exclaimed  the 
disappointed  old  man  in  English;  "natur'  is  as  strong  in 
a  red-skin  as  in  the  bosom  of  a  man  of  white  gifts.  Now 
would  a  Delaware  conceit  himself  far  mightier  than  a 
Pawnee,  just  as  a  Pawnee  boasts  himself  to  be  of  the 
princes  of  the  'arth.  And  so  it  was  atween  the  Frenchers 
of  the  Canadas  and  the  red-coated  English,  that  the  king 
did  use  to  send  into  the  States,  when  States  they  were 
not,  but  outcrying  and  petitioning  provinces;  they  fou't 
and  they  fou't,  and  what  marvelous  boastings  did  they 
give  forth  to  the  world  of  their  own  valor  and  victories, 
while  both  parties  forgot  to  name  the  humble  soldier  of 
the  land  who  did  the  real  service,  but  who,  as  he  was 
not  privileged  then  to  smoke  at  the  great  council-fire  of 
his  nation,  seldom  heard  of  his  deeds  after  they  were 
once  bravely  done. ' ' 

When  the  old  man  had  thus  given  vent  to  the  nearly 
dormant,  but  far  from  extinct  military  pride,  that  had 
so  unconsciously  led  him  into  the  very  error  he  depre 
cated,  his  eye,  which  had  begun  to  quicken  and  glimmer 
with  some  of  the  ardor  of  his  youth,  softened  and  turned 
its  anxious  look  on  the  devoted  captive,  whose  countenance 
was  also  restored  to  its  former  cold  look  of  abstraction 
and  thought. 

"Young  warrior,"  he  continued,  in  a  voice  that  was 
growing  tremulous,  "I  have  never  been  father  or  brother. 
The  Wahcondah  made  me  to  live  alone.  He  never  tied  my 
heart  to  house  or  field,  by  the  cords  with  which  the  men 
of  my  race  are  bound  to  their  lodges;  if  He  had,  I  should 
not  have  journeyed  so  far,  and  seen  so  much.  But  I  have 
tarried  long  among  a  people  who  lived  in  those  woods  you 


THE   PRAIRIE  321 

mention,  and  much  reason  did  I  find  to  imitate  their 
courage  and  love  their  honesty.  The  Master  of  Life  has 
made  us  all,  Pawnee,  with  a  feeling  for  our  kind.  I 
never  was  a  father,  but  well  do  I  know  what  is  the  love 
of  one.  You  are  like  a  lad  I  valued,  and  I  had  even  begun 
to  fancy  that  some  of  his  blood  might  be  in  your  veins. 
But  what  matters  that?  You  are  a  true  man,  as  I  know 
by  the  way  in  which  you  keep  your  faith;  and  honesty  is 
a  gift  too  rare  to  be  forgotten.  My  heart  yearns  to  you, 
boy,  and  gladly  would  I  do  you  good." 

The  youthful  warrior  listened  to  the  words  which  came 
from  the  lips  of  the  other  with  a  force  and  simplicity 
that  established  their  truth,  and  he  bowed  his  head  on 
his  naked  bosom,  in  testimony  of  the  respect  with  which 
he  met  the  proffer.  Then  lifting  his  dark  eye  to  the  level 
of  the  view,  he  seemed  to  be  again  considering  of  things 
removed  from  every  personal  consideration.  The  trapper, 
who  well  knew  how  high  the  pride  of  a  warrior  would 
sustain  him  in  those  moments  he  believed  to  be  his  last, 
awaited  the  pleasure  of  his  young  friend,  with  a  meekness 
and  patience  that  he  had  acquired  by  his  association  with 
that  remarkable  race.  At  length  the  gaze  of  the  Pawnee 
began  to  waver;  and  then  quick,  flashing  glances  were 
turned  from  the  countenance  of  the  old  man  to  the  air, 
and  from  the  air  to  his  deeply  marked  lineaments  again, 
as  if  the  spirit,  which  governed  their  movements,  was 
beginning  to  be  troubled. 

"Father,"  the  young  brave  finally  answered,  in  a  voice 
of  confidence  and  kindness,  "I  have  heard  your  words. 
They  have  gone  in  at  my  ears,  and  are  now  within  me. 
The  white-headed  Long-knife  has  no  son;  the  Hard-Heart 
of  the  Pawnees  is  young,  but  he  is  already  the  oldest  of 
his  family.  He  found  the  bones  of  his  father  on  the 
hunting-ground  of  the  Osages,  and  he  has  sent  them  to 
the  prairies  of  the  Good  Spirits.  No  doubt  the  great 
chief,  his  father,  has  seen  them,  and  knows  what  is  part 
of  himself.  But  the  Wahcondah  will  soon  call  to  us  both; 
you,  because  you  have  seen  all  that  is  to  be  seen  in  this 
country;  and  Hard-Heart,  because  He  has  need  of  a  war 
rior  who  is  young.  There  is  no  time  for  the  Pawnee  to 
show  the  pale  face  the  duty  that  a  son  owes  to  his  father. ' ' 
21 


322  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Old  as  I  am,  and  miserable  and  helpless  as  I  now 
stand,  to  what  I  once  was,  I  may  live  to  see  the  sun  go 
down  in  the  prairie.  Does  my  son  expect  to  do  as  much?" 

"The  Tetons  are  counting  the  scalps  on  my  lodge!" 
returned  the  young  chief,  with  a  smile  whose  melancholy 
was  singularly  illuminated  by  a  gleam  of  triumph. 

"And  they  find  them  many.  Too  many  for  the  safety 
of  its  owner,  while  he  is  in  their  revengeful  hands.  My 
son  is  not  a  woman,  and  he  looks  on  the  path  he  is  about 
to  travel  with  a  steady  eye.  Has  he  nothing  to  whisper 
in  the  ears  of  his  people  before  he  starts?  These  legs  are 
old,  but  they  may  yet  carry  me  to  the  forks  of  the  Loup 
river." 

"Tell  them  that  Hard-Heart  has  tied  a  knot  in  his 
wampum  for  every  Teton!"  burst  from  the  lips  of  the 
captive,  with  that  vehemence  with  which  sudden  passion 
is  known  to  break  through  the  barriers  of  artificial  re 
straint;  "if  he  meets  one  of  them  all  in  the  prairies  of 
the  Master  of  Life,  his  heart  will  become  Sioux!" 

"Ah!  that  feeling  would  be  a  dangerous  companion 
for  a  man  with  white  gifts  to  start  with  on  so  solemn  a 
journey,"  muttered  the  old  man  in  English.  "This  is 
not  what  the  good  Moravians  said  to  the  councils  of  the 
Delawares,  nor  what  is  so  often  preached  to  the  white- 
skins  in  the  settlements,  though,  to  the  shame  of  the 
color  be  it  said,  it  is  so  little  heeded.  Pawnee,  I  love 
you;  but  being  a  Christian  man,  I  cannot  be  the  runner 
to  bear  such  a  message. ' ' 

"If  my  father  is  afraid  the  Tetons  will  hear  him,  let 
him  whisper  it  softly  to  our  old  men." 

"As  for  fear,  young  warrior,  it  is  no  more  the  shame 
of  a  pale  face  than  of  a  red-skin.  The  Wahcondah  teaches 
us  to  love  the  life  He  gives;  but  it  is  as  men  love  their 
hunts,  and  their  dogs,  and  their  carabins,  and  not  with 
the  doting  that  a  mother  looks  upon  her  infant.  The 
Master  of  Life  will  not  have  to  speak  aloud  twice  when 
He  calls  my  name.  I  am  as  ready  to  answer  to  it  now  as 
I  shall  be  to-morrow,  or  at  any  time  it  may  please  his 
mighty  will.  But  what  is  a  warrior  without  his  tradi 
tions?  Mine  forbid  me  to  carry  your  words." 

The  chief  made  a  dignified  motion  of  assent,  and  here 


THE   PRAIRIE  323 

there  was  great  danger  that  those  feelings  of  confidence 
which  had  been  so  singularly  awakened,  would  as  sud 
denly  subside.  But  the  heart  of  the  old  man  had  been 
too  sensibly  touched,  through  long  dormant  but  still  liv 
ing  recollections,  to  break  off  the  communication  so 
rudely.  He  pondered  for  a  minute,  and  then  bending 
his  look  wistfully  on  his  young  associate,  again  continued: 

"Each  warrior  must  be  judged  by  his  gifts.  I  have 
told  my  son  what  I  cannot,  but  let  him  open  his  ears  to 
what  I  can  do.  An  elk  shall  not  measure  the  prairie 
much  swifter  than  these  old  legs,  if  the  Pawnee  will  give 
me  a  message  that  a  white  man  may  bear." 

"Let  the  pale  face  listen,"  returned  the  other,  after 
hesitating  a  single  instant  longer,  under  a  lingering  sen 
sation  of  his  former  disappointment.  "He  will  stay  here 
till  the  Sioux  have  done  counting  the  scalps  of  their 
dead  warriors.  He  will  wait  until  they  have  tried  to 
cover  the  heads  of  eighteen  Tetons  with  the  skin  of  one 
Pawnee;  he  will  open  his  eyes  wide,  that  he  may  see  the 
place  where  they  bury  the  bones  of  a  warrior." 

"All  this  will  I,  and  may  I  do,  noble  boy." 

"He  will  mark  the  spot,  that  he  may  know  it." 

"No  fear,  no  fear  that  I  shall  forget  the  place,"  in 
terrupted  the  other,  whose  fortitude  began  to  give  way 
under  so  trying  an  exhibition  of  calmness  and  resignation. 

"Then  I  know  that  my  father  will  go  to  my  people. 
His  head  is  gray,  and  his  words  will  not  be  blown  away 
with  the  smoke.  Let  him  get  on  my  lodge,  and  call  the 
name  of  Hard-Heart  aloud.  No  Pawnee  will  be  deaf. 
Then  let  my  father  ask  for  the  colt  that  has  never  been 
ridden,  but  which  is  sleeker  than  the  buck,  and  swifter 
than  the  elk. ' ' 

"I  understand  you,  boy,  I  understand  you,"  interrupted 
the  attentive  old  man;  "and  what  you  say  shall  be  done, 
ay,  and  well  done,  too,  or  I'm  but  little  skilled  in  the 
wishes  of  a  dying  Indian." 

"And  when  my  young  men  have  given  my  father  the 
halter  of  that  colt,  he  will  lead  him  by  a  crooked  path  to 
the  grave  of  Hard-Heart?" 

"Will  I!  ay,  that  I  will,  brave  youth,  though  the  win 
ter  covers  these  plains  in  banks  of  snow,  and  the  sun  is 


324  THE   PRAIRIE 

hidden  as  much  by  day  as  by  night.  To  the  head  of  the 
holy  spot  will  I  lead  the  beast,  and  place  him  with  his 
eyes  looking  towards  the  setting  sun." 

"And  my  father  will  speak  to  him,  and  tell  him  that 
the  master  who  has  fed  him  since  he  was  foaled  has  now 
need  of  him." 

"That,  too,  will  I  do;  though  the  Lord,  He  knows  that 
I  shall  hold  discourse  with  a  horse,  not  with  any  vain 
cbnceit  that  my  words  will  be  understood,  but  only  to 
satisfy  the  cravings  of  Indian  superstition.  Hector,  my 
pup,  what  think  you,  dog,  of  talking  to  a  horse?" 

"Let  the  gray-beard  speak  to  him  with  the  tongue  of  a 
Pawnee,"  interrupted  the  young  victim,  perceiving  that 
his  companion  had  used  an  unknown  language  for  the 
preceding  speech. 

"My  son's  will  shall  be  done.  And  with  these  old 
hands,  which  I  had  hoped  had  nearly  done  with  blood 
shed,  whether  it  be  of  man  or  beast,  will  I  slay  the 
animal  on  your  grave!" 

"It  is  good,"  returned  the  other,  a  gleam  of  satisfac 
tion  flitting  across  his  features.  "Hard-Heart  will  ride 
his  horse  to  the  blessed  prairies,  and  he  will  come  before 
the  Master  of  Life  like  a  chief!" 

The  sudden  and  striking  change  which  instantly  occurred 
in  the  countenance  of  the  Indian,  caused  the  trapper  to 
look  aside,  when  he  perceived  that  the  conference  of  the 
Sioux  had  ended,  and  that  Mahtoree,  attended  by  one  or 
two  of  the  principal  warriors,  was  deliberately  approach 
ing  his  intended  victim. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

"  I  am  not  prone  to  weeping,  as  our  sex 
Commonly  are. 

But  I  have  that  honorable 
Grief  lodged  here,  which  burns  worse  than 
Tears  drown." 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

WHEN  within  twenty  feet  of  the  prisoners,  the  Tetons 
stopped,  and  their  leader  made  a  sign  to  the  old  man  to 
draw  nigh.  The  trapper  obeyed,  quitting  the  young 
Pawnee  with  a  significant  look,  which  was  received,  as 
it  was  meant,  for  an  additional  pledge  that  he  would 
never  forget  his  promise.  So  soon  as  Mahtoree  found 
that  the  other  had  stopped  within  reach  of  him,  he 
stretched  forth  his  arm,  and  laying  a  hand  upon  the 
shoulder  of  the  attentive  old  man,  he  stood  regarding 
him  a  minute,  with  eyes  that  seemed  willing  to  penetrate 
the  recesses  of  his  most  secret  thoughts. 

''Is  a  pale  face  always  made  with  two  tongues?"  he  de 
manded,  when  he  found  that,  as  usual  with  the  subject  of 
this  examination,  he  was  as  little  intimidated  by  his  pres 
ent  frown,  as  moved  by  any  apprehensions  of  the  future. 

"Honesty  lies  deeper  than  the  skin." 

"It  is  so.  Now  let  my  father  hear  me.  Mahtoree  has 
but  one  tongue,  the  gray-head  has  many.  They  may  be 
all  straight,  and  none  of  them  forked.  A  Sioux  is  no 
more  than  a  Sioux,  but  a  pale  face  is  everything!  He 
can  talk  to  the  Pawnee,  and  the  Konza,  and  the  Omahaw, 
and  he  can  talk  to  his  own  people." 

"Ay,  there  are  linguisters  in  the  settlements  that  can 
do  still  more.  But  what  profits  it  all?  The  Master  of 
Life  has  an  ear  for  every  language!" 

'  'The  gray-head  has  done  wrong.  He  has  said  one  thing 
when  he  meant  another.  He  has  looked  before  him  with 
his  eyes,  and  behind  him  with  his  mind.  He  has  ridden 
the  horse  of  a  Sioux  too  hard;  he  has  been  the  friend  of 
a  Pawnee,  and  the  enemy  of  my  people." 

325 


326  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Teton,  I  am  your  prisoner.  Though  my  words  are 
white,  they  will  not  complain.  Act  your  will." 

"No.  Mahtoree  will  not  make  a  white  hair  red.  My 
father  is  free.  The  prairie  is  open  on  every  side  of  him. 
But  before  the  gray-head  turns  his  back  on  the  Sioux,  let 
him  look  well  at  them,  that  he  may  tell  his  own  chief 
how  great  is  a  Dahcotah!" 

"I  am  not  in  a  hurry  to  go  on  my  path.  You  see  a  man 
with  a  white  head,  and  no  woman,  Teton;  therefore  shall 
I  not  run  myself  out  of  breath,  to  tell  the  nations  of  the 
prairies  what  the  Sioux  are  doing." 

"It  is  good.  My  father  has  smoked  with  the  chiefs  at 
many  councils,"  returned  Mahtoree,  who  now  thought 
himself  sufficiently  sure  of  the  other's  favor  to  go  more 
directly  to  his  object.  "Mahtoree  will  speak  with  the 
tongue  of  his  very  dear  friend  and  father.  A  young 
pale  face  will  listen  when  an  old  man  of  that  nation  opens 
his  mouth.  Go;  my  father  will  make  what  a  poor  Indian 
says  fit  for  a  white  ear. ' ' 

"Speak  aloud!"  said  the  trapper,  who  readily  under 
stood  the  metaphorical  manner  in  which  the  Teton  ex 
pressed  a  desire  that  he  should  become  an  interpreter  of 
his  words  into  the  English  language;  "speak,  my  young 
men  listen.  Now,  captain,  and  you,  too,  friend  bee- 
hunter,  prepare  yourselves  to  meet  the  deviltries  of  this 
savage  with  the  stout  hearts  of  white  warriors.  If  you 
find  yourselves  giving  way  under  his  threats,  just  turn 
your  eye  on  that  noble-looking  Pawnee,  whose  time  is 
measured  with  a  hand  as  niggardly  as  that  with  which  a 
trader  in  the  towns  gives  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Lord, 
inch  by  inch,  in  order  to  satisfy  his  covetousness.  A 
single  look  at  the  boy  will  set  you  both  up  in  resolution." 

"My  brother  has  turned  his  eyes  on  the  wrong  path," 
interrupted  Mahtoree,  with  a  complacency  that  betrayed 
how  unwilling  he  was  to  offend  his  intended  interpreter. 

"The  Dahcotah  will  speak  to  my  young  men?" 

"After  he  has  sung  in  the  ear  of  the  flower  of  the 
pale  faces. ' ' 

"The  Lord  forgive  the  desperate  villain!"  exclaimed 
the  old  man  in  English.  "There  are  none  so  tender,  or 
so  young,  or  so  innocent,  as  to  escape  his  ravenous  wishes. 


THE   PRAIRIE  327 

But  hard  words  and  cold  looks  will  profit  nothing;  there 
fore  it  will  be  wise  to  speak  him  fair.  Let  Mahtoree 
open  his  mouth." 

"Would  my  father  cry  out  that  the  women  and  children 
should  hear  the  wisdom  of  chiefs?  We  will  go  into  the 
lodge  and  whisper." 

As  the  Teton  ended,  he  pointed  significantly  towards  a 
tent,  vividly  emblazoned  with  the  history  of  one  of  his 
own  boldest  and  most  commended  exploits,  and  which 
stood  a  little  apart  from  the  rest,  as  if  to  denote  it  was 
the  residence  of  some  privileged  individual  of  the  band. 
The  shield  and  quiver  at  its  entrance  were  richer  than 
common,  and  the  high  distinction  of  a  fusee  attested  the 
importance  of  its  proprietor.  In  every  other  particular 
it  was  rather  distinguished  by  signs  of  poverty  than  of 
wealth.  The  domestic  utensils  were  fewer  in  number  and 
simpler  in  their  forms  than  those  to  be  seen  about  the 
openings  of  the  meanest  lodges,  nor  was  there  a  single 
one  of  those  highly  prized  articles  of  civilized  life,  which 
were  occasionally  bought  of  the  traders,  in  bargains  that 
bore  so  hard  on  the  ignorant  natives.  All  these  had  been 
bestowed,  as  they  had  been  acquired,  by  the  generous 
chief,  on  his  subordinates,  to  purchase  an  influence  that 
might  render  him  the  master  of  their  lives  and  persons; 
a  species  of  wealth  that  was  certainly  more  noble  in  it 
self,  and  far  dearer  to  his  ambition. 

The  old  man  well  knew  this  to  be  the  lodge  of  Mah 
toree,  and,  in  obedience  to  the  sign  of  the  chief,  he  held 
his  way  towards  it  with  slow  and  reluctant  steps.  But 
there  were  others  present  who  were  equally  interested  in 
the  approaching  conference,  whose  apprehensions  were 
not  to  be  so  easily  suppressed.  The  watchful  eyes  and 
jealous  ears  of  Middleton  had  taught  him  enough  to  fill 
his  soul  with  horrible  forebodings.  With  an  incredible 
effort  he  succeeded  in  gaining  his  feet,  and  called  aloud 
to  the  retiring  trapper: 

"I  conjure  you,  old  man,  if  the  love  you  bore  my 
parents  was  more  than  words,  or  if  the  love  you  bear 
your  God  is  that  of  a  Christian  man,  utter  not  a  syllable 
that  may  wound  the  ear  of  that  innocent — 

Exhausted  in  spirit  and  fettered  in  limbs,  he  then  fell 


328  THE  PRAIRIE 

like  an  inanimate  log  to  the  earth,  where  he  lay  like  one 
dead. 

Paul  had,  however,  caught  the  clue,  and  completed  the 
exhortation  in  his  peculiar  manner. 

"Harkee,  old  trapper,"  he  shouted,  vainly  endeavoring 
at  the  same  time  to  make  a  gesture  of  defiance  with  his 
hand;  "if  you  ar'  about  to  play  the  interpreter,  speak 
such  words  to  the  ears  of  that  damnable  savage  as  becomes 
a  white  man  to  use,  and  a  heathen  to  hear.  Tell  him, 
from  me,  that  if  he  does  or  says  the  thing  that  is  uncivil 
to  the  girl  called  Nelly  Wade,  that  I'll  curse  him  with  my 
dying  breath;  that  I'll  pray  for  all  good  Christians  in 
Kentucky  to  curse  him;  sitting  and  standing;  eating  and 
drinking;  fighting,  praying,  or  at  horse-races;  in-doors 
and  out-doors;  in  summer  or  winter,  or  in  the  month  of 
March;  in  short,  I'll — ay,  it  ar'  a  fact,  morally  true — 
I'll  haunt  him,  if  the  ghost  of  a  pale  face  can  contrive  to 
lift  itself  from  a  grave  made  by  the  hands  of  a  red-skin!" 

Having  thus  ventured  the  most  terrible  denunciation 
he  could  devise,  and  the  one  which,  in  the  eyes  of  the 
honest  bee-hunter,  there  seemed  the  greatest  likelihood 
of  his  being  able  to  put  in  execution,  he  was  obliged  to 
await  the  fruits  of  his  threat  with  that  resignation  which 
would  be  apt  to  govern  a  western  border-man  who,  in 
addition  to  the  prospects  just  named,  had  the  advantage 
of  contemplating  them  in  fetters  and  bondage.  We  shall 
not  detain  the  narrative  to  relate  the  quaint  morals  with 
which  he  next  endeavored  to  cheer  the  drooping  spirits 
of  his  more  sensitive  companion,  or  the  occasional  pithy 
and  peculiar  benedictions  that  he  pronounced,  on  all  the 
bands  of  the  Dahcotahs,  commencing  with  those  whom  he 
accused  of  stealing  or  murdering,  on  the  banks  of  the 
distant  Mississippi,  and  concluding,  in  terms  of  suitable 
energy,  with  the  Teton  tribe.  The  latter  more  than  once 
received  from  his  lips  curses  as  sententious  and  as  com 
plicated  as  that  celebrated  anathema  of  the  Church,  for  a 
knowledge  of  which  most  unlettered  Protestants  are  in 
debted  to  the  pious  researches  of  the  worthy  Tristram 
Shandy.  But  as  Middleton  recovered  from  his  exhaustion 
he  was  fain  to  appease  the  boisterous  temper  of  his  asso 
ciate,  by  admonishing  him  of  the  uselessness  of  such 


THE   PRAIRIE  329 

denuni cations,  and  of  the  possibility  of  their  hastening 
the  very  evil  he  deprecated,  by  irritating  the  resentments 
of  a  race  who  were  sufficiently  fierce  and  lawless,  even  in 
their  most  pacific  moods. 

In  the  meantime  the  trapper  and  the  Sioux  chief  pur 
sued  their  way  to  the  lodge.  The  former  had  watched 
with  painful  interest  the  expression  of  Mahtoree's  eye, 
while  the  words  of  Middleton  and  Paul  were  pursuing 
their  footsteps;  but  the  mien  of  the  Indian  was  far  too 
much  restrained  and  self-guarded,  to  permit  the  smallest 
of  his  emotions  to  escape  through  any  of  those  ordinary 
outlets 'by  which  the  condition  of  the  human  volcano  is 
commonly  betrayed.  His  look  was  fastened  on  the  little 
habitation  they  approached;  and,  for  the  moment,  his 
thoughts  appeared  to  brood  alone  on  the  purposes  of  this 
extraordinary  visit. 

The  appearance  of  the  interior  of  the  lodge  corre 
sponded  with  its  exterior.  It  was  larger  than  most  of  the 
others,  more  finished  in  its  form,  and  finer  in  its  mate 
rials;  but  there  its  superiority  ceased.  Nothing  could  be 
more  simple  and  republican  than  the  form  of  living  that 
the  ambitious  and  powerful  Teton  chose  to  exhibit  to  the 
eyes  of  his  people.  A  choice  collection  of  weapons  for  the 
chase,  and  three  or  four  medals,  bestowed  by  the  traders 
and  political  agents  of  the  Canadas  as  a  homage  to,  or 
rather  as  an  acknowledgment  of  his  rank,  with  a  few  of 
the  most  indispensable  articles  of  personal  accommodation, 
composed  its  furniture.  It  abounded  in  neither  venison 
nor  the  wild  beef  of  the  prairies;  its  crafty  owner  having 
well  understood  that  the  liberality  of  a  single  individual 
would  be  abundantly  rewarded  by  the  daily  contributions 
of  a  band.  Although  as  pre-eminent  in  the  chase  as  in 
war,  a  deer  or  a  buffalo  was  never  seen  to  enter  whole 
into  his  lodge.  In  return,  an  animal  was  rarely  brought 
into  the  encampment  that  did  not  contribute  to  support 
the  family  of  Mahtoree.  But  the  policy  of  the  chief  sel 
dom  permitted  more  to  remain  than  sufficed  for  the  wants 
of  the  day,  perfectly  assured  that  all  must  suffer  before 
hunger,  the  bane  of  savage  life,  could  lay  its  fell  fangs 
on  so  important  a  victim. 

Immediately  beneath  the  favorite  bow  of  the  chief,  and 


330  THE   PRAIRIE 

encircled  in  a  sort  of  magical  ring  of  spears,  shields, 
lances,  and  arrows,  all  of  which  had  in  their  time  done 
good  service,  was  suspended  the  mysterious  and  sacred 
medicine-bag.  It  was  highly  wrought  in  wampum,  and 
profusely  ornamented  with  beads  and  porcupines'  quills, 
after  the  most  cunning  devices  of  Indian  ingenuity.  The 
peculiar  freedom  of  Mahtoree's  religious  creed  has  been 
more  than  once  intimated,  and  by  a  singular  species  of 
contradiction,  he  appeared  to  have  lavished  his  attention 
on  this  emblem  of  a  supernatural  agency,  in  a  degree  that 
was  precisely  inverse  to  his  faith.  It  was  merely  the 
manner  in  which  the  Sioux  imitated  the  well-known  ex 
pedient  of  the  Pharisees,  "in  order  that  they  might  be 
seen  of  men. ' ' 

The  tent  had  not,  however,  been  entered  by  its  owner 
since  his  return  from  the  recent  expedition.  As  the 
reader  has  already  anticipated,  it  had  been  made  the 
prison  of  Inez  and  Ellen.  The  bride  of  Middleton  was 
seated  on  a  simple  couch  of  sweet-scented  herbs  covered 
with  skins.  She  had  already  suffered  so  much,  and  wit 
nessed  so  many  wild  and  unlooked-for  events,  within  the 
short  space  of  her  captivity,  that  every  additional  mis 
fortune  fell  with  a  diminished  force  on  her  seemingly 
devoted  head.  Her  cheeks  were  bloodless,  her  dark  and 
usually  animated  eye  was  contracted  in  an  expression  of 
settled  concern,  and  her  form  appeared  shrinking  and 
sensitive,  nearly  to  extinction.  But  in  the  midst  of  these 
evidences  of  natural  weakness,  there  were  at  times  such 
an  air  of  pious  resignation,  such  gleams  of  meek  but  holy 
hope  lighting  her  countenance,  as  might  well  have  ren 
dered  it  a  question  whether  the  hapless  captive  was  most 
a  subject  of  pity,  or  of  admiration.  All  the  precepts  of 
father  Ignatius  were  riveted  in  her  faithful  memory,  and 
not  a  few  of  his  pious  visions  were  floating  before  her 
imagination.  Sustained  by  so  sacred  resolutions,  the 
mild,  the  patient,  and  the  confiding  girl  was  bowing  her 
head  to  this  new  stroke  of  Providence,  with  the  same  sort 
of  meekness  as  she  would  have  submitted  to  any  other 
prescribed  penitence  for  her  sins,  though  nature,  at  mo 
ments,  warred  powerfully  with  so  compelled  a  humility. 

On  the  other  hand,  Ellen  had  exhibited  far  more  of  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  331 

woman,  and  consequently  of  the  passions  of  the  world. 
She  had  wept  until  her  eyes  were  swollen  and  red.  Her 
cheeks  were  flushed  and  angry,  and  her  whole  mien  was 
distinguished  by  an  air  of  spirit  and  resentment,  that  was 
not  a  little,  however,  qualified  by  apprehensions  for  the 
future.  In  short,  there  was  that  about  the  eye  and  step 
of  the  betrothed  of  Paul,  which  gave  a  warranty  that 
should  happier  times  arrive,  and  the  constancy  of  the 
bee-hunter  finally  meet  with  its  reward,  he  would  possess 
a  partner  every  way  worthy  to  cope  with  his  own  thought 
less  and  buoyant  temperament. 

There  was  still  another  and  a  third  figure  in  that  little 
knot  of  females.  It  was  the  youngest,  the  most  highly 
gifted,  and,  until  now,  the  most  favored  of  the  wives  of 
the  Teton.  Her  charms  had  not  been  without  the  most 
powerful  attraction  in  the  eyes  of  her  husband,  until  they 
had  so  unexpectedly  opened  on  the  surpassing  loveliness 
of  a  woman  of  the  pale  faces.  From  that  hapless  moment 
the  graces,  the  attachment,  the  fidelity  of  the  young 
Indian,  had  lost  their  power  to  please.  Still,  the  com 
plexion  of  Tachechana,  though  less  dazzling  than  that  of 
her  rival,  was,  for  her  race,  clear  and  healthy.  Her  hazel 
eye  had  the  sweetness  and  playfulness  of  the  antelope's; 
her  voice  was  soft  and  joyous  as  the  song  of  the  wren, 
and  her  happy  laugh  was  the  very  melody  of  the  forest. 
Of  all  the  Sioux  girls,  Tachechana  (or  the  Fawn)  was  the 
lightest-hearted  and  the  most  envied.  Her  father  had 
been  a  distinguished  brave,  and  her  brothers  had  already 
left  their  bones  on  a  distant  and  dreary  war-path.  Num 
berless  were  the  warriors  who  had  sent  presents  to  the 
lodge  of  her  parents,  but  none  of  them  were  listened  to 
until  a  messenger  from  the  great  Mahtoree  had  come. 
She  was  his  third  wife,  it  is  true,  but  she  was  confessedly 
the  most  favored  of  them  all.  Their  union  had  existed 
but  two  short  seasons,  and  its  fruits  now  lay  sleeping  at 
her  feet,  wrapped  in  the  customary  ligatures  of  skin  and 
bark,  which  form  the  swaddlings  of  an  Indian  infant. 

At  the  moment  when  Mahtoree  and  the  trapper  arrived 
at  the  opening  of  the  lodge,  the  young  Sioux  wife  was 
seated  on  a  simple  stool,  turning  her  soft  eyes  with  looks 
that  varied,  like  her  emotions,  with  love  and  wonder,  for 


332  THE   PRAIRIE 

the  unconscious  child  to  those  rare  beings  who  had  filled 
her  youthful  and  uninstructed  mind  with  so  much  ad 
miration  and  astonishment.  Though  Inez  and  Ellen  had 
passed  an  entire  day  in  her  sight,  it  seemed  as  if  the 
longings  of  her  curiosity  were  increasing  with  each  new 
gaze.  She  regarded  them  as  beings  of  an  entirely  differ 
ent  nature  and  condition  from  the  females  of  the  prairie. 
Even  the  mystery  of  their  complicated  attire  had  its 
secret  influence  on  her  simple  mind,  though  it  was  the 
grace  and  charms  of  sex,  to  which  nature  has  made  every 
people  so  sensible,  that  most  attracted  her  admiration. 
But  while  her  ingenuous  disposition  freely  admitted  the 
superiority  of  the  strangers  over  the  less  brilliant  attrac 
tions  of  the  Dahcotah  maidens,  she  had  seen  no  reason  to 
deprecate  their  advantages.  The  visit  that  she  was  now 
about  to  receive  was  the  first  which  her  husband  had 
made  to  the  tent  since  his  return  from  the  recent  inroad, 
and  he  was  ever  present  to  her  thoughts  as  a  successful 
warrior,  who  was  not  ashamed  in  the  moments  of  inaction 
to  admit  the  softer  feelings  of  a  father  and  a  husband. 

We  have  everywhere  endeavored  to  show  that  while 
Mahtoree  was  in  all  essentials  a  warrior  of  the  prairies, 
he  was  much  in  advance  of  his  people  in  those  acquire 
ments  which  announce  the  dawnings  of  civilization.  He 
had  held  frequent  communion  with  the  traders  and  troops 
of  the  Canadas,  and  the  intercourse  had  unsettled  many 
of  those  wild  opinions  which  were  his  birthright,  withoujt 
perhaps  substituting  any  others  of  a  nature  sufficiently 
definite  to  be  profitable.  His  reasoning  was  rather  subtle 
than  true,  and  his  philosophy  far  more  audacious  than 
profound.  Like  thousands  of  more  enlightened  beings 
who  fancy  they  are  able  to  go  through  the  trials  of  human 
existence  without  any  other  support  than  their  own  reso 
lutions,  his  morals  were  accommodating  and  his  motives 
selfish.  These  several  characteristics  will  be  understood 
always  with  reference  to  the  situation  of  the  Indian, 
though  little  apology  is  needed  for  finding  resemblances 
between  men  who  essentially  possess  the  same  nature, 
however  it  may  be  modified  by  circumstances. 

Notwithstanding  the  presence  of  Inez  and  Ellen,  the 
entrance  of  the  Teton  warrior  into  the  lodge  of  his  favorite 


THE   PRAIRIE  333 

wife  was  made  with  the  tread  and  mien  of  a  master.  The 
step  of  his  moccasin  was  noiseless,  but  the  rattling  of  his 
bracelets  and  of  the  silver  ornaments  of  his  leggings, 
sufficed  to  announce  his  approach  as  he  pushed  aside  the 
skin  covering  of  the  opening  of  the  tent,  and  stood  in  the 
presence  of  its  inmates.  A  faint  cry  of  pleasure  burst 
from  the  lips  of  Tachechana  in  the  suddenness  of  her  sur 
prise,  but  the  emotion  was  instantly  suppressed  in  that 
subdued  demeanor  which  should  characterize  a  matron  of 
her  tribe.  Instead  of  returning  the  stolen  glance  of  his 
youthful  and  secretly  rejoicing  wife,  Mahtoree  moved  to 
the  crouch  occupied  by  his  prisoners,  and  placed  himself 
in  the  haughty,  upright  attitude  of  an  Indian  chief  be 
fore  their  eyes.  The  old  man  had  glided  past  him,  and 
already  taken  a  position  suited  to  the  office  he  had  been 
commanded  to  fill. 

Surprise  kept  the  females  silent  and  nearly  breathless. 
Though  accustomed  to  the  sight  of  savage  warriors  in  the 
horrid  panoply  of  their  terrible  profession,  there  was 
something  so  startling  in  the  entrance,  and  so  audacious 
in  the  inexplicable  look  of  their  conqueror,  that  the  eyes 
of  both  sank  to  the  earth  under  a  feeling  of  terror  and 
embarrassment.  Then  Inez  recovered  herself,  and  ad 
dressing  the  trapper,  she  demanded  with  the  dignity  of 
an  offended  gentlewoman,  though  with  her  accustomed 
grace,  to  what  circumstance  they  owed  this  extraordinary 
and  unexpected  visit.  The  old  man  hesitated;  but  clear 
ing  his  throat  like  one  who  was  about  to  make  an  effort 
to  which  he  was  little  used,  he  ventured  on  the  following 
reply : 

"Lady,"  he  said,  "a  savage  is  a  savage,  and  you  are 
not  to  look  for  the  uses  and  formalities  of  the  settlements 
on  a  bleak  and  windy  prairie.  As  these  Indians  would 
say,  fashion  and  courtesies  are  things  so  light  that  they 
would  blow  av/ay.  As  for  myself,  though  a  man  of  the 
forest,  I  have  seen  the  ways  of  the  great  in  my  time,  and 
I  am  not  to  learn  that  they  differ  from  the  ways  of  the 
lowly.  I  was  long  a  serving-man  in  my  youth,  not  one  of 
your  beck-and-nod  runners  about  a  household,  but  a  man 
that  went  through  the  servitude  of  the  forest  with  his 
officer,  and  well  do  I  know  in  what  manner  to  approach 


334  THE   PRAIRIE 

the  wife  of  a  captain.  Now,  had  I  the  ordering  of  this 
visit,  I  would  first  have  hemmed  aloud  at  the  door  in 
order  that  you  might  hear  that  strangers  were  coming, 
and  then  I— 

"The  manner  is  indifferent,"  interrupted  Inez,  too 
anxious  to  await  the  prolix  explanations  of  the  old  man; 
"why  is  the  visit  made?" 

"Therein  shall  the  savage  speak  for  himself.  The 
daughters  of  the  pale  faces  wish  to  know  why  the  great 
Teton  has  come  into  his  lodge?" 

Mahtoree  regarded  his  interrogator  with  a  surprise 
which  showed  how  extraordinary  he  deemed  the  question. 
Then  placing  himself  in  a  posture  of  condescension,  after 
a  moment's  delay,  he  answered: 

"Sing  in  the  ears  of  the  dark-eye.  Tell  her  the  lodge 
of  Mahtoree  is  very  large,  and  that  it  is  not  full.  She 
shall  find  room  in  it,  and  none  shall  be  greater  than  she. 
Tell  the  light-hair,  that  she  too  may  stay  in  the  lodge  of 
a  brave,  and  eat  of  his  venison.  Mahtoree  is  a  great 
chief.  His  hand  is  never  shut." 

"Teton,"  returned  the  trapper,  shaking  his  head  in 
evidence  of  the  strong  disapprobation  with  which  he 
heard  this  language.  "The  tongue  of  a  red-skin  must  be 
colored  white,  before  it  can  make  music  in  the  ears  of  a 
pale  face.  Should  your  words  be  spoken,  my  daughters 
would  shut  their  ears,  and  Mahtoree  would  seem  a  trader 
to  their  eyes.  Now  listen  to  what  comes  from  a  gray- 
head,  and  then  speak  accordingly.  My  people  is  a  mighty 
people.  The  sun  rises  on  their  eastern  and  sets  on  their 
western  border.  The  land  is  filled  with  bright-eyed  and 
laughing  girls,  like  these  you  see — ay,  Teton,  I  tell  no 
lie,"  observing  his  auditor  to  start  with  an  air  of  dis 
trust — "bright-eyed  and  pleasant  to  behold,  as  these 
before  you. ' ' 

"Has  my  father  a  hundred  wives?"  interrupted  the 
savage,  laying  his  finger  on  the  shoulder  of  the  trapper, 
with  a  look  of  curious  interest  in  the  reply. 

"No,  Dahcotah.  The  Master  of  Life  has  said  to  me, 
Live  alone;  your  lodge  shall  be  the  forest;  the  roof  of 
your  wigwam,  the  clouds.  But,  though  never  bound  in 
the  secret  faith  which,  in  my  nation,  ties  one  man  to  one 


THE  PRAIRIE  335 

woman,  often  have  I  seen  the  workings  of  that  kindness 
which  brings  the  two  together.  Go  into  the  regions  of 
my  people;  you  will  see  the  daughters  of  the  land  flutter 
ing  through  the  towns  like  many-colored  and  joyful  birds 
in  the  season  of  blossoms.  You  will  meet  them  singing 
and  rejoicing  along  the  great  paths  of  the  country,  and 
you  will  hear  the  woods  ringing  with  their  laughter. 
They  are  very  excellent  to  behold,  and  the  young  men  find 
pleasure  in  looking  at  them." 

"Hugh!"  ejaculated  the  attentive  Mahtoreo.. 

"Ay,  well  may  you  put  faith  in  what  you  hear,  for  it 
is  no  lie.  But  when  a  youth  has  found  a  maiden  to  please 
him,  he  speaks  to  her  in  a  voice  so  soft  that  none  else  can 
hear.  He  does  not  say,  My  lodge  is  empty,  and  there  is 
room  for  another;  but,  Shall  I  build,  and  will  the  virgin 
show  me  near  what  spring  she  would  dwell?  His  voice 
is  sweeter  than  honey  from  the  locust,  and  goes  into  the 
ear  thrilling  like  the  song  of  a  wren.  Therefore,  if  my 
brother  wishes  his  words  to  be  heard,  he  must  speak  with 
a  white  tongue." 

Mahtoree  pondered  deeply,  and  in  a  wonder  that  he  did 
not  attempt  to  conceal.  It  was  reversing  all  the  order  of 
society,  and,  according  to  his  established  opinions,  en 
dangering  the  dignity  of  a  chief  for  a  warrior  thus  to 
humble  himself  before  a  woman.  But  as  Inez  sat  before 
him,  reserved  and  imposing  in  air,  utterly  unconscious  of 
his  object,  and  least  of  all  suspecting  the  true  purport  of 
so  extraordinary  a  visit,  the  savage  felt  the  influence  of 
a  manner  to  which  he  was  unaccustomed.  Bowing  his 
head  in  acknowledgment  of  his  error,  he  stepped  a  little 
back,  and  placing  himself  in  an  attitude  of  easy  dignity, 
he  began  to  speak  with  the  confidence  of  one  who  had 
been  no  less  distinguished  for  eloquence  than  for  deeds  in 
arms.  Keeping  his  eyes  riveted  on  the  unconscious  bride 
of  Middleton,  he  proceeded  in  the  following  words: 

"I  am  a  man  with  a  red  skin,  but  my  eyes  are  dark. 
They  have  been  open  since  many  snows.  They  have  seen 
many  things — they  know  a  brave  from  a  coward.  When 
a  boy,  I  saw  nothing  but  the  bison  and  the  deer.  I  went 
to  the  hunts,  and  I  saw  the  cougar  and  the  bear.  This 
made  Mahtoree  a  man.  He  talked  with  his  mother  no 


336  THE  PRAIRIE 

more.  His  ears  were  open  to  the  wisdom  of  the  old  men. 
They  told  him  everything— they  told  him  of  the  Big- 
knives.  He  went  on  the  war-path.  He  was  then  the  last 
— now  he  is  the  first.  What  Dahcotah  dare  say  he  will 
go  before  Mahtoree  into  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Paw 
nees?  The  chiefs  met  him  at  their  doors,  and  they  said, 
My  son  is  without  a  home.  They  gave  him  their  lodges, 
they  gave  him  their  riches,  and  they  gave  him  their 
daughters.  Then  Mahtoree  became  a  chief,  as  his  fathers 
had  been.  He  struck  the  warriors  of  all  the  nations,  and 
he  could  have  chosen  wives  from  the  Pawnees,  the  Oma- 
haws,  and  the  Konzas;  but  he  looked  at  the  hunting- 
grounds,  and  not  at  his  village.  He  thought  a  horse  was 
pleasanter  than  a  Dahcotah  girl.  But  he  found  a  flower 
on  the  prairies,  and  he  plucked  it,  and  brought  it  into 
his  lodge.  He  forgets  that  he  is  the  master  of  a  single 
horse.  He  gives  them  all  to  the  stranger,  for  Mahtoree 
is  not  a  thief;  he  will  only  keep  the  flower  he  found  on 
the  prairie.  Her  feet  are  very  tender.  She  cannot  walk 
to  the  door  of  her  father;  she  will  stay  in  the  lodge  of  a 
valiant  warrior  forever." 

When  he  had  finished  this  extraordinary  address,  the 
Teton  awaited  to  have  it  translated,  with  the  air  of  a 
suitor  who  entertained  no  very  disheartening  doubts  of 
his  success.  The  trapper  had  not  lost  a  syllable  of  the 
speech,  and  he  now  prepared  himself  to  render  it  into 
English  in  such  a  manner  as  should  leave  its  principal 
idea  even  more  obscure  than  in  the  original.  But  as  his 
reluctant  lips  were  in  the  act  of  parting,  Ellen  lifted  a 
finger,  and  with  a  keen  glance  from  her  quick  eye,  at  the 
still  attentive  Inez,  she  interrupted  him. 

"Spare  your  breath,"  she  said:  "all  that  a  savage  says 
is  not  to  be  repeated  before  a  Christian  lady." 

Inez  started,  blushed,  and  bowed  with  an  air  of  reserve, 
as  she  coldly  thanked  the  old  man  for  his  intentions,  and 
observed  that  she  could  now  wish  to  be  alone. 

"My  daughters  have  no  need  of  ears  to  understand 
what  a  great  Dahcotah  says, ' '  returned  the  trapper,  ad 
dressing  himself  to  the  expecting  Mahtoree.  "The  look 
he  has  given,  and  the  signs  he  has  made  are  enough.  They 
understand  him;  they  wish  to  think  of  his  words;  for  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  337 

children  of  great  braves,  such  as  their  fathers  are,  do 
nothing  without  much  thought." 

With  this  explanation,  so  flattering  to  the  energy  of 
his  eloquence,  and  so  promising  to  his  future  hopes,  the 
Teton  was  every  way  content.  He  made  the  customary 
ejaculation  of  assent,  and  prepared  to  retire.  Saluting 
the  females  in  the  cold  but  dignified  manner  of  his  people 
he  drew  his  robe  about  him,  and  moved  from  the  spot 
where  he  had  stood  with  an  air  of  ill-concealed  triumph. 

But  there  had  been  a  stricken,  though  a  motionless 
and  unobserved  auditor  of  the  foregoing  scene.  Not  a 
syllable  had  fallen  from  the  lips  of  the  long  and  anxiously 
expected  husband  that  had  not  gone  directly  to  the  heart 
of  his  unoffending  wife.  In  this  manner  had  he  wooed  her 
from  the  lodge  of  her  father,  and  it  was  to  listen  to  simi 
lar  pictures  of  the  renown  and  deeds  of  the  greatest  brave 
in  her  tribe  that  she  had  shut  her  ears  to  the  tender  tales 
of  so  many  of  the  Sioux  youths. 

As  the  Teton  turned  to  leave  his  lodge  in  the  manner 
just  mentioned,  he  found  this  unexpected  and  half-forgot 
ten  object  before  him.  She  stood  in  the  humble  guise 
and  with  the  shrinking  air  of  an  Indian  girl,  holding  the 
pledge  of  their  former  love  in  her  arms,  directly  in  his 
path.  Starting,  the  chief  regained  the  marble-like  indif 
ference  of  countenance  which  distinguished  in  so  remark 
able  a  degree  the  restrained  or  more  artificial  expression 
of  his  features,  and  signed  to  her  with  an  air  of  authority 
to  give  place. 

"Is  not  Tachechana  the  daughter  of  a  chief? "demanded 
a  subdued  voice,  in  which  pride  struggled  with  anguish; 
"were  not  her  brothers  braves?" 

"Go;  the  men  are  calling  their  partisan.  He  has  no 
ears  for  a  woman." 

"No,"  replied  the  supplicant;  "it  is  not  the  voice  of 
Tachechana  that  you  hear,  but  this  boy,  speaking  with 
the  tongue  of  his  mother.  He  is  the  son  of  a  chief,  and 
his  words  will  go  up  to  his  father's  ears.  Listen  to  what  he 
says:  When  was  Mahtoree  hungry,  and  Tachechana  had 
not  food  for  him?  When  did  he  go  on  the  path  of  the 
Pawnees  and  find  it  empty,  that  my  mother  did  not  weep? 
When  did  he  come  back  with  the  marks  of  their  blows, 
22 


338  THE  PRAIRIE 

that  she  did  not  sing?  What  Sioux  girl  has  given  a  brave 
a  son  like  me?  Look  at  me  well,  that  you  may  know 
me.  My  eyes  are  the  eagle's.  I  look  at  the  sun  and 
laugh.  In  a  little  time  the  Dahcotahs  will  follow  me  to 
the  hunts  and  on  the  war-path.  Why  does  my  father  turn 
his  eyes  from  the  woman  that  gives  me  milk?  Why  has 
he  so  soon  forgotten  the  daughter  of  a  mighty  Sioux?" 

There  was  a  single  instant,  as  the  exulting  father  suf 
fered  his  cold  eye  to  wander  to  the  face  of  the  laughing 
boy,  that  the  stern  nature  of  the  Teton  seemed  touched. 
But  shaking  off  the  grateful  sentiment,  like  one  who 
would  gladly  be  rid  of  any  painful,  because  reproachful 
emotion,  he  laid  his  hand  calmly  on  the  arm  of  his  wife, 
and  led  her  directly  in  front  of  Inez.  Pointing  to  the 
sweet  countenance  that  was  beaming  on  her  own,  with  a 
look  of  tenderness  and  commiseration,  he  paused,  to  allow 
his  wife  to  contemplate  a  loveliness  which  was  quite  as  ex 
cellent  to  her  ingenuous  mind  as  it  had  proved  dangerous 
to  the  character  of  her  faithless  husband.  When  he  thought 
abundant  time  had  passed  to  make  the  contrast  sufficiently 
striking,  he  suddenly  raised  a  small  mirror  that  dangled 
at  her  breast,  an  ornament  he  had  himself  bestowed,  in 
an  hour  of  fondness,  as  a  compliment  to  her  beauty,  and 
placed  her  own  dark  image  in  its  place.  Wrapping  his 
robe  again  about  him,  the  Teton  motioned  to  the  trapper 
to  follow,  and  stalked  haughtily  from  the  lodge,  mutter 
ing  as  he  went: 

"Mahtoree  is  very  wise!  What  nation  has  so  great  a 
chief  as  the  Dahcotahs?" 

Tachechana  stood  frozen  into  a  statue  of  humility.  Her 
mild  and  usually  joyous  countenance  worked,  as  if  the 
struggle  within  was  about  to  dissolve  the  connection  be 
tween  her  soul  and  that  more  material  part,  whose  defor 
mity  was  becoming  so  loathsome.  Inez  and  Ellen  were 
utterly  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  her  interview  with  her 
husband,  though  the  quick  and  sharpened  wits  of  the  lat 
ter  led  her  to  suspect  a  truth  to  which  the  entire  innocence 
of  the  former  furnished  no  clue.  They  were  both,  how 
ever,  about  to  tender  those  sympathies  which  are  so  nat 
ural  to,  and  so  graceful  in  the  sex,  when  their  necessity 
seemed  suddenly  to  cease.  The  convulsions  in  the  features 


THE   PRAIRIE  339 

of  the  young  Sioux  disappeared,  and  her  countenance  be 
came  cold  and  rigid,  like  chiseled  stone.  A  single  expres 
sion  of  subdued  anguish,  which  had  made  its  impression 
on  a  brow  that  had  rarely  before  contracted  with  sorrow, 
alone  remained.  It  was  never  removed,  in  all  the  changes 
of  seasons,  fortunes,  and  years,  which,  in  the  vicissitudes 
of  a  suffering,  female,  savage  life,  she  was  subsequently 
doomed  to  endure.  As  in  the  case  of  a  premature  blight, 
let  the  plant  quicken  and  revive  as  it  may,  the  effects  of 
that  withering  touch  were  always  present. 

Tachechana  first  stripped  her  person  of  every  vestige  of 
those  rude  but  highly  prized  ornaments,  which  the  liber 
ality  of  her  husband  had  been  wont  to  lavish  on  her,  and 
she  tendered  them  meekly,  and  without  a  murmur  as  an 
offering  to  the  superiority  of  Inez.  The  bracelets  were 
forced  from  her  wrists,  the  complicated  mazes  of  beads 
from  her  leggings,  and  the  broad  silver  band  from  her 
brow.  Then  she  paused,  long  and  painfully.  But  it  would 
seem  that  the  resolution  she  had  once  adopted  was  not  to 
be  conquered  by  the  lingering  emotions  of  any  affection, 
however  natural.  The  boy  himself  was  next  laid  at  the 
feet  of  her  supposed  rival,  and  well  might  the  self-abased 
wife  of  the  Teton  believe  that  the  burden  of  her  sacrifice 
was  now  full. 

While  Inez  and  Ellen  stood  regarding  these  several 
strange  movements  with  eyes  of  wonder,  a  low,  soft,  mus 
ical  voice  was  heard  saying  in  a  language  that  to  them 
was  unintelligible: 

"A  strange  tongue  will  tell  my  boy  the  manner  to  be 
come  a  man.  He  will  hear  sounds  that  are  new,  but  he 
will  learn  them,  and  forget  the  voice  of  his  mother.  It 
is  the  will  of  the  Wahcondah,  and  a  Sioux  girl  should  not 
complain.  Speak  to  him  softly,  for  his  ears  are  very  lit 
tle;  when  he  is  big,  your  words  may  be  louder.  Let  him 
not  be  a  girl,  for  very  sad  is  the  life  of  a  woman.  Teach 
him  to  keep  his  eyes  on  the  men.  Show  him  how  to  strike 
them  that  do  him  wrong,  and  let  him  never  forget  to  re 
turn  blow  for  blow.  When  he  goes  to  hunt,  the  flower  of 
the  palefaces,"  she  concluded,  using  in  bitterness  the 
metaphor  which  had  been  supplied  by  the  imagination  of 
her  truant  husband,  "will  whisper  softly  in  his  ears  that 


340  THE   PRAIRIE 

the  skin  of  his  mother  was  red,  and  that  she  was  once  the 
Fawn  of  the  Dahcotahs." 

Tachechana  pressed  a  kiss  on  the  lips  of  her  son,  and 
withdrew  to  the  farther  side  of  the  lodge.  Here  she  drew 
her  light  calico  robe  over  her  head,  and  took  her  seat, 
in  token  of  humility,  on  the  naked  earth.  All  efforts  to 
attract  her  attention  were  fruitless.  She  neither  heard 
remonstrances,  nor  felt  the  touch.  Once  or  twice  her  voice 
rose,  in  a  sort  of  wailing  song,  from  beneath  her  quivering 
mantle,  but  it  never  mounted  into  the  wildness  of  savage 
music.  In  this  manner  she  remained  unseen  for  hours, 
while  events  were  occurring  without  the  lodge,  which  not 
only  materially  changed  the  complexion  of  her  own  for 
tunes,  but  left  a  lasting  and  deep  impression  on  the  future 
movements  of  the  wandering  Sioux. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

"I'll  no  swaggerers.  I  am  in  good  name  and  fame  with  the  very  best;  shut 
the  door,  there  comes  no  swaggerers  here.  I  have  not  lived  all  this  while  to  have 
swaggering  now ;  shut  the  door,  I  pray  you." 

—KING  HENRY  IV. 

MAHTOREE  encountered,  at  the  door  of  his  lodge,  Ish- 
mael,  Abiram,  and  Esther.  The  first  glance  of  his  eye, 
at  the  countenance  of  the  heavy-moulded  squatter,  served 
to  tell  the  cunning  Teton,  that  the  treacherous  truce  he 
had  made  with  these  dupes  of  his  superior  sagacity  was  in 
some  danger  of  a  violent  termination. 

"Look  you  here,  old  gray-beard,"  said  Ishmael,  seizing 
the  trapper,  and  whirling  him  round  as  if  he  had  been  a 
top;  "that  I  am  tired  of  carrying  on  a  discourse  with 
fingers  and  thumbs,  instead  of  a  tongue,  ar'  a  natural 
fact;  so  you'll  play  linguister  and  put  my  words  into 
Indian,  without  much  caring  whether  they  suit  the 
stomach  of  a  red-skin  or  not." 

"Say  on,  friend,"  calmly  returned  the  trapper;  "they 
shall  be  given  as  plainly  as  you  send  them. ' ' 

"Friend!"  repeated  the  squatter,  eying  the  other  for  an 
instant  with  an  expression  of  indefinable  meaning.  "But 
it  is  no  more  than  a  word,  and  sounds  break  no  bones,  and 
survey  no  farms.  Tell  this  thieving  Sioux,  then,  that  I 
come  to  claim  the  conditions  of  our  solemn  bargain,  made 
at  the  foot  of  the  rock. ' ' 

When  the  trapper  had  rendered  his  meaning  into  the 
Sioux  language,  Mahtoree  demanded,  with  an  air  of  sur 
prise: 

"Is  my  brother  cold?  buffalo-skins  are  plenty.  Is  he 
hungry?  Let  my  young  men  carry  venison  into  his  lodges. ' ' 

The  squatter  elevated  his  clenched  fist  in  a  menacing 
manner,  and  struck  it  with  violence  on  the  palm  of  his 
open  hand,  by  way  of  confirming  his  determination,  as  he 
answered : 

"Tell  the  deceitful  liar,  I  have  not  come  like  a  beggar 
341 


342  THE   PRAIRIE 

to  pick  his  bones,  but  like  a  freeman  asking  for  his  own; 
and  have  it  I  will.  And,  moreover,  tell  him  I  claim  that 
you,  too,  miserable  sinner  as  you  ar',  should  be  given  up 
to  justice.  There's  no  mistake.  My  prisoner,  my  niece, 
and  you,  I  demand  the  three  at  his  hands,  according  to  a 
sworn  agreement." 

The  immovable  old  man  smiled,  with  an  expression 
of  singular  intelligence,  as  he  answered : 

"Friend  squatter,  you  ask  what  few  men  would  be  will 
ing  to  grant.  You  would  first  cut  the  tongue  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Teton,  and  then  the  heart  from  his  bosom. ' ' 

"It  is  little  that  Ishmael  Bush  regards  who  or  what  is 
damaged  in  claiming  his  own.  But  put  you  the  questions 
in  straight-going  Indian,  and  when  you  speak  of  yourself, 
make  such  a  sign  as  a  white  man  will  understand,  in  order 
that  I  may  know  there  ^s  no  foul  play. ' ' 

The  trapper  laughed  in  his  silent  fashion,  and  muttered 
a  few  words  to  himself  before  he  addressed  the  chief: 

"Let  the  Dahcotah  open  his  ears  very  wide,"  he  said, 
"that  big  words  may  have  room  to  enter.  His  friend, 
the  Big-knife,  comes  with  an  empty  hand,  and  he  says 
that  the  Teton  must  fill  it." 

"Wagh!  Mahtoree  is  a  rich  chief.  He  is  master  of  the 
prairies." 

"He  must  give  the  dark-hair.  " 

The  brow  of  the  chief  contracted  in  an  ominous  frown, 
that  threatened  instant  destruction  to  the  audacious  squat 
ter;  but  as  suddenly  recollecting  his  policy,  he  craftily 
replied: 

"A  girl  is  too  light  for  the  hand  of  such  a  brave.  I 
will  fill  it  with  buffaloes." 

"He  says  he  has  need  of  the  light-hair,  too;  who  has 
his  blood  in  her  veins." 

"She  shall  be  the  wife  of  Mahtoree;  then  the  Long- 
knife  will  be  the  father  of  a  chief." 

"And  me,"  continued  the  trapper,  making  one  of  those 
expressive  signs  by  which  the  natives  communicate  with 
nearly  the  same  facility  as  with  their  tongues,  and  turning 
to  the  squatter  at  the  same  time,  in  order  that  the  latter 
might  see  he  dealt  fairly  by  him;  "he  asks  for  a  miserable 
and  worn-out  trapper." 


THE   PRAIRIE  343 

The  Dahcotah  threw  his  arm  over  the  shoulder  of  the 
old  man,  with  an  air  of  great  affection,  before  he  replied 
to  this  third  and  last  demand. 

"My  friend  is  old, ' '  he  said,  "and  cannot  travel  far.  He 
will  stay  with  the  Tetons,  that  they  may  learn  wisdom 
from  his  words.  What  Sioux  has  a  tongue  like  my  father! 
No;  let  his  words  be  very  soft,  but  let  them  be  very  clear. 
Mahtoree  will  give  skins  and  buffaloes.  He  will  give  the 
young  men  of  the  pale  faces  wives,  but  he  cannot  give 
away  any  who  live  in  his  own  lodge." 

Perfectly  satisfied  himself,  with  this  laconic  reply,  the 
chief  was  moving  towards  his  expecting  counselors,  when 
suddenly  returning,  he  interrupted  the  translation  of  the 
trapper  by  adding: 

"Tell  the  Great  Buffalo"  (a  name  by  which  the  Tetons 
had  already  christened  Ishmael)  "that  Mahtoree  has  a 
hand  which  is  always  open.  See,"  he  added,  pointing  to 
the  hard  and  wrinkled  visage  of  the  attentive  Esther,  "his 
wife  is  too  old  for  so  great  a  chief.  Let  him  put  her  out 
of  his  lodge.  Mahtoree  loves  him  as  a  brother.  He  is 
his  brother.  He  shall  have  the  youngest  wife  of  the  Teton. 
Tachechana,  the  pride  of  the  Sioux  girls,  shall  cook  his 
venison,  and  many  braves  will  look  at  him  with  longing 
minds.  Go;  a  Dahcotah  is  generous." 

The  singular  coolness  with  which  the  Teton  concluded 
this  audacious  proposal,  confounded  even  the  practised 
trapper.  He  stared  after  the  retiring  form  of  the  Indian, 
with  an  astonishment  he  did  not  care  to  conceal,  nor  did 
he  renew  his  attempt  at  interpretation,  until  the  person 
of  Mahtoree  was  blended  with  the  cluster  of  warriors,  who 
had  so  long,  and  with  so  characteristic  patience,  awaited 
his  return. 

"The  Teton  chief  has  spoken  very  plainly, ' '  the  old  man 
contined;  "he  will  not  give  you  the  lady,  to  whom  the 
Lord  in  heaven  knows  you  have  no  claim,  unless  it  be  such 
as  the  wolf  has  to  the  lamb.  He  will  not  give  you  the 
child  you  call  your  niece;  and  therein  I  acknowledge  that 
I  am  far  from  certain  he  has  the  same  justice  on  his  side. 
Moreover,  neighbor  squatter,  he  flatly  denies  your  demand 
for  me,  miserable  and  worthless  as  I  am;  nor  do  I  think 
he  has  been  unwise  in  so  doing,  seeing  that  I  should  have 


344  THE   PRAIRIE 

many  reasons  against  journeying  far  in  your  company. 
But  he  makes  an  offer,  which  it  is  right  and  convenient 
you  should  know.  The  Teton  says  through  me,  who  am  no 
more  than  a  mouth-piece,  and  therein  not  answerable  for 
the  sin  of  his  words,  but  he  says,  as  this  good  woman  is 
getting  past  the  comely  age,  it  is  reasonable  for  you  to 
tire  of  such  a  wife.  He  therefore  tells  you  to  turn  her 
out  of  your  lodge,  and  when  it  is  empty,  he  will  send  his 
own  favorite,  or  rather  she  was  his  favorite,  the  'Skipping 
Fawn,'  as  the  Sioux  call  her,  to  fill  her  place.  You  see, 
neighbor,  though  the  red-skin  is  minded  to  keep  your 
property,  he  is  willing  to  give  you  wherewithal  to  make 
yourself  some  return ! ' ' 

Ishmael  listened  to  these  replies  to  his  several  demands, 
with  that  species  of  gathering  indignation  with  which  the 
dullest  tempers  mount  into  the  most  violent  paroxysms 
of  rage.  He  even  affected  to  laugh  at  the  conceit  of  ex 
changing  his  long-tried  partner  for  the  more  flexible  sup 
port  of  the  youthful  Tachechana,  though  his  voice  was 
hollow  and  unnatural  in  the  effort.  But  Esther  was  far 
from  giving  the  proposal  so  facetious  a  reception.  Lift 
ing  her  voice  to  its  most  audible  key,  she  broke  forth, 
after  catching  her  breath  like  one  who  had  been  in  some 
imminent  danger  of  strangulation,  as  follows: 

"Hoity-toity!  who  set  an  Indian  up  for  a  maker  and 
breaker  of  the  rights  of  wedded  wives?  Does  he  think  a 
woman  is  a  beast  of  the  prairie,  that  she  is  to  be  chased 
from  a  village  by  dog  and  gun?  Let  the  bravest  squaw 
of  them  all  come  forth  and  boast  of  her  doings;  can  she 
show  such  a  brood  as  mine?  A  wicked  tyrant  is  that 
thieving  red-skin,  and  a  bold  rogue,  I  warrant  me.  He 
would  be  captain  in-doors  as  well  as  out!  An  honest 
woman  is  no  better  in  his  eyes  than  one  of  your  broomstick 
jumpers.  And  you,  Ishmael  Bush,  the  father  of  seven 
sons  and  so  many  comely  daughters,  to  open  your  sinful 
mouth,  except  to  curse  him!  Would  ye  disgrace  color, 
and  family,  and  nation,  by  mixing  white  blood  with  red, 
and  would  ye  be  the  parent  of  a  race  of  mules!  The  devil 
has  often  tempted  you,  my  man,  but  never  before  has  he 
set  so  cunning  a  snare  as  this.  Go  back  among  your 
children,  friend;  go,  and  remember  that  you  are  not  a 


THE   PRAIRIE  345 

prowling  bear,  but  a  Christian  man,  and  thank  God  that 
you  ar'  a  lawful  husband!" 

The  clamor  of  Esther  was  anticipated  by  the  judicious 
trapper.  He  had  easily  foreseen  that  her  meek  temper 
would  overflow  at  so  scandalous  a  proposal  as  repudiation 
and  he  now  profited  by  the  tempest,  to  retire  to  a  place 
where  he  was  at  least  safe  from  any  immediate  violence 
on  the  part  of  her  less  excited,  but  certainly  more  dan 
gerous  husband.  Ishmael,  who  had  made  his  demands  with 
a  stout  determination  to  enforce  them,  was  diverted  by 
the  windy  torrent,  like  many  a  more  obstinate  husband 
from  his  purpose;  and  in  order  to  appease  a  jealousy  that 
resembled  the  fury  with  which  the  bear  defends  her  cubs, 
was  fain  to  retire  to  a  distance  from  the  lodge  that  was 
known  to  contain  the  unoffending  object  of  the  sudden 
uproar. 

"Let  your  copper-colored  minx  come  forth,  and  show 
her  tawny  beauty  before  the  face  of  a  woman  who  has 
heard  more  than  one  church  bell,  and  seen  a  power  of  real 
quality,"  cried  Esther,  flourishing  her  hand  in  triumph, 
as  she  drove  Ishmael  and  Abiram  before  her,  like  two 
truant  boys,  towards  their  own  encampment.  "I  warrant 
me,  I  warrant  me,  here  is  one  who  would  shortly  talk  her 
down!  Never  think  to  tarry  here,  my  men;  never  think  to 
shut  an  eye  in  a  camp,  through  which  the  devil  walks  as 
openly  as  if  he  were  a  gentleman,  and  sure  of  his  wel 
come.  Here,  you  Abner,  Enoch,  Jesse,  where  ar'  ye  got 
ten  to?  Put  to,  put  to;  if  that  weak-minded,  soft-feeling 
man,  your  father,  eats  or  drinks  again  in  this  neighbor 
hood,  we  shall  see  him  poisoned  with  the  craft  of  the  red 
skins.  Not  that  I  care,  who  comes  into  my  place  when  it 
is  once  lawfully  empty,  but  Ishmael,  I  never  thought  that 
you,  who  have  had  one  woman  with  a  white  skin,  would 
find  pleasure  in  looking  on  a  brazen — ay,  that  she  is  cop 
per  ar'  a  fact;  you  can't  deny  it,  and  I  warrant  me,  brazen 
enough  is  she,  too!" 

Against  this  ebullition  of  wounded  female  pride,  the 
experienced  husband  made  no  other  head,  than  by  an  oc 
casional  exclamation,  which  he  intended  to  be  the  precur 
sor  of  a  simple  asseveration  of  his  own  innocence.  The 
fury  of  the  woman  would  not  be  appeased.  She  listened 


346  THE   PRAIRIE 

to  nothing  but  her  own  voice,  and  consequently  nothing 
was  heard  but  her  mandates  to  depart. 

The  squatter  had  collected  his  beasts  and  loaded  his 
wagons,  as  a  measure  of  precaution,  before  proceeding  to 
the  extremity  he  contemplated.  Esther  consequently 
found  everything  favorable  to  her  wishes.  The  young 
men  stared  at  each  other,  as  they  witnessed  the  extraor 
dinary  excitement  of  their  mother,  but  took  little  interest 
in  an  event  which,  in  the  course  of  their  experience,  had 
found  so  many  parallels.  By  command  of  their  father, 
the  tents  were  thrown  into  the  vehicles  as  a  sort  of  re 
prisal  for  the  want  of  faith  in  their  late  ally,  and  then  the 
train  left  the  spot,  in  its  usual  listless  and  sluggish  order. 

As  a  formidable  division  of  well-armed  borderers  pro 
tected  the  rear  of  the  retiring  party,  the  Sioux  saw  it 
depart  without  manifesting  the  smallest  evidence  of  sur 
prise  or  resentment.  The  savage,  like  the  tiger,  rarely 
makes  his  attack  on  an  enemy  who  expects  him;  and  if 
the  warriors  of  the  Tetons  meditated  any  hostility,  it  was 
in  the  still  and  patient  manner  with  which  the  feline 
beasts  watch  for  the  incautious  moment,  in  order  to  insure 
the  blow.  The  counsels  of  Mahtoree,  however,  on  whom 
so  much  of  the  policy  of  his  people  depended,  lay  deep  in 
the  depository  of  his  own  thoughts.  Perhaps  he  rejoiced 
at  so  easy  a  manner  of  getting  rid  of  claims  so  trouble 
some;  perhaps  he  awaited  a  fitting  time  to  exhibit  his 
power;  or  it  even  might  be,  that  matters  of  so  much 
greater  importance  were  pressing  on  his  mind,  that  it( 
had  not  leisure  to  devote  any  of  its  faculties  to  an  event- 
of  so  much  indifference.  j 

But  it  would  seem  that  while  Ishmael  made  such  a  con 
cession  to  the  awakened  feelings  of  Esther,  he  was  far 
from  abandoning  his  original  intentions.  His  train  fol 
lowed  the  course  of  the  river  for  a  mile,  and  then  it  came 
to  a  halt  on  the  brow  of  the  elevated  land,  and  in  a  place 
which  afforded  the  necessary  facilities.  Here  he  again 
pitched  his  tents,  unharnessed  his  teams,  sent  his  cattle 
on  the  bottom,  and,  in  short,  made  all  the  customary 
preparations  to  pass  the  night,  with  the  same  coolness  and 
deliberation  as  if  he  had  not  hurled  an  irritating  defiance 
into  the  teeth  of  his  dangerous  neighbors. 


THE   PRAIRIE  347 

In  the  meantime  the  Tetons  proceeded  to  the  more 
regular  business  of  the  hour.  A  fierce  and  savage  joy 
had  existed  in  the  camp,  from  the  instant  when  it  had 
been  announced  that  their  own  chief  was  returning  with 
the  long-dreaded  and  hated  partisan  of  their  enemies. 
For  many  hours  the  crones  of  the  tribe  had  been  going 
from  lodge  to  lodge,  in  order  to  stimulate  the  tempers  of 
the  warriors  to  such  a  pass,  as  might  leave  but  little  room 
for  mercy.  To  one  they  spoke  of  a  son,  whose  scalp  was 
drying  in  the  smoke  of  a  Pawnee  lodge.  To  another,  they 
enumerated  his  own  scars,  his  disgraces,  and  defeats;  with 
a  third,  they  dwelt  on  his  losses  of  skins  and  horses;  and 
a  fourth  was  reminded  of  vengeance  by  a  significant 
question  concerning  some  flagrant  adventure  in  which  he 
was  known  to  have  been  a  sufferer. 

By  these  means  the  men  had  been  so  far  excited  as  to 
have  assembled,  in  the  manner  already  related,  though  it 
still  remained  a  matter  of  doubt  how  far  they  intended  to 
carry  their  revenge.  A  variety  of  opinions  prevailed  on 
the  policy  of  executing  their  prisoners;  and  Mahtoree  had 
suspended  the  discussions,  in  order  to  ascertain  how  far 
the  measure  might  propitiate,  or  retard,  his  own  particu 
lar  views.  Hitherto  the  consultations  had  merely  been 
preliminary,  with  a  design  that  each  chief  might  discover 
the  number  of  supporters  his  particular  views  would  be 
likely  to  obtain,  when  the  important  subject  should  come 
before  a  more  solemn  council  of  the  tribe.  The  mo 
ment  for  the  latter  had  now  arrived,  and  the  preparations 
were  made  with  a  dignity  and  solemnity  suited  to  the 
momentous  interests  of  the  occasion. 

With  a  refinement  in  cruelty  that  none  but  an  Indian 
would  have  imagined,  the  place  selected  for  this  grave 
deliberation,  was  immediately  about  the  post  to  which 
the  most  important  of  its  subjects  was  attached.  Middle- 
ton  and  Paul  were  brought  in  their  bonds,  and  laid  at  the 
feet  of  the  Pawnee;  then  the  men  began  to  take  their 
places,  according  to  their  several  claims  to  distinction. 
As  warrior  after  warrior  approached,  he  seated  himself 
in  the  wide  circle  with  a  mien  as  composed  and  thought 
ful  as  if  his  mind  were  actually  in  a  condition  to  deal  out 
justice,  tempered,  as  it  should  be,  with  the  heavenly 


348  THE   PRAIRIE 

quality  of  mercy.  A  place  was  reserved  for  three  or  four 
of  the  principal  chiefs;  and  a  few  of  the  oldest  of  the 
women,  as  withered  as  age,  exposure,  hardships,  and  lives 
of  savage  passions  could  make  them,  thrust  themselves 
into  the  foremost  circle  with  a  temerity  to  which  they 
were  impelled  by  their  insatiable  desire  for  cruelty,  and 
which  nothing  but  their  years  and  long-tried  fidelity  to 
the  nation  could  have  excused. 

All,  but  the  chiefs  already  named,  were  now  in  their 
places.  These  had  delayed  their  appearance,  in  the  vain 
hope  that  their  own  unanimity  might  smooth  the  way  to 
that  of  their  respective  factions,  for,  notwithstanding  the 
superior  influence  of  Mahtoree,  his  power  was  to  be  main 
tained  only  by  constant  appeals  to  the  opinions  of  his  in 
feriors.  As  these  important  personages  at  length  entered 
the  circle  in  a  body,  their  sullen  looks  and  clouded  brows, 
notwithstanding  the  time  given  for  consultation,  suffi 
ciently  proclaimed  the  discontent  which  reigned  among 
them.  The  eye  of  Mahtoree  was  varying  in  its  expres 
sion,  from  sudden  gleams,  that  seemed  to  kindle  with  the 
burning  impulses  of  his  soul,  to  that  cold  and  guarded 
steadiness  which  was  thought  more  peculiarly  to  become 
a  chief  in  council.  He  took  his  seat  with  the  studied 
simplicity  of  a  demagogue;  though  the  keen  and  flashing 
glance  that  he  immediately  threw  around  the  silent  assem 
bly,  betrayed  the  more  predominant  temper  of  a  tyrant. 

When  all  were  present,  an  aged  warrior  lighted  the 
great  pipe  of  his  people,  and  blew  the  smoke  toward  the 
four  quarters  of  the  heavens.  So  soon  as  this  propitiatory 
offering  was  made,  he  tendered  it  to  Mahtoree,  who,  in 
affected  humility,  passed  it  to  a  gray-headed  chief  by  his 
side.  After  the  influence  of  the  soothing  weed  had  been 
courted  by  all,  a  grave  silence  succeeded  as  if  each  was 
not  only  qualified  to,  but  actually  did  think  more  deeply 
on  the  matters  before  them.  Then  an  old  Indian  arose, 
and  spoke  as  follows: 

"The  eagle,  at  the  falls  of  the  endless  river,  was  in  its 
egg,  many  snows  after  my  hand  had  struck  a  Pawnee. 
What  my  tongue  says,  my  eyes  have  seen.  Bohrecheena  is 
very  old.  The  hills  have  stood  longer  in  their  places, 
than  he  has  been  in  his  tribe,  and  the  rivers  were  full 


THE   PRAIRIE  349 

and  empty,  before  he  was  born;  but  where  is  the  Sioux 
that  knows  it  besides  myself?  What  he  says,  they  will 
hear.  If  any  of  his  words  fall  to  the  ground,  they  will 
pick  them  up  and  hold  them  to  their  ears.  If  any  blow 
away  in  the  wind,  my  young-  men,  who  are  very  nimble, 
will  catch  them.  Now  listen.  Since  water  ran  and  trees 
grew,  the  Sioux  has  found  the  Pawnee  on  his  war-path. 
As  the  cougar  loves  the  antelope,  the  Dahcotah  loves  his 
enemy.  When  the  wolf  finds  the  fawn,  does  he  lie  down 
and  sleep?  When  the  panther  sees  the  doe  at  the  spring, 
does  he  shut  his  eyes?  You  know  that  he  does  not.  He 
drinks,  too;  but  it  is  of  blood!  A  Sioux  is  a  leaping 
panther,  a  Pawnee  a  trembling  deer.  Let  my  children 
hear  me.  They  will  find  my  words  good.  I  have  spoken. " 

A  deep  guttural  exclamation  of  assent  broke  from  the 
lips  of  all  the  partisans  of  Mahtoree,  as  they  listened  to 
this  sanguinary  advice  from  one  who  was  certainly  among 
the  most  aged  men  of  the  nation.  That  deeply  seated  love 
of  vengeance,  which  formed  so  prominent  a  feature  in 
their  characters,  was  gratified  by  his  metaphorical  allu 
sions;  and  the  chief  himself  augured  favorably  of  the 
success  of  his  own  schemes,  by  the  number  of  supporters 
who  manifested  themselves  to  be  in  favor  of  the  counsels 
of  his  friend.  But  still  unanimity  was  far  from  prevail 
ing.  A  long  and  decorous  pause  was  suffered  to  succeed 
the  words  of  the  first  speaker,  in  order  that  all  might 
duly  deliberate  on  their  wisdom,  before  another  chief  took 
on  himself  the  office  of  refutation.  The  second  orator, 
though  past  the  prime  of  his  days,  was  far  less  aged  than 
the  one  who  had  preceded  him.  He  felt  the  disadvantage 
of  this  circumstance,  and  endeavored  to  counteract  it,  as 
far  as  possible,  by  the  excess  of  his  humility. 

"I  am  but  an  infant,"  he  commenced,  looking  furtively 
around  him,  in  order  to  detect  how  far  his  well-estab 
lished  character  for  prudence  and  courage  contradicted 
his  assertion.  "I  have  lived  with  the  women  since  my 
father  has  been  a  man.  If  my  head  is  getting  gray,  it  is 
not  because  I  am  old.  Some  of  the  snow  which  fell  on  it 
while  I  have  been  sleeping  on  the  war-paths,  has  frozen 
there,  and  the  hot  sun,  near  the  Osage  villages,  has  not 
been  strong  enough  to  melt  it."  Alow  murmur  was 


350  THE   PRAIRIE 

heard,  expressive  of  admiration  of  the  services  to  which 
he  thus  artfully  alluded.  The  orator  modestly  awaited 
for  the  feeling  to  subside  a  little,  and  then  he  continued, 
with  increasing  energy,  encouraged  by  their  commenda 
tions.  "But  the  eyes  of  a  young  brave  are  good.  He 
can  see  very  far.  He  is  a  lynx.  Look  at  me  well.  I 
will  now  turn  my  back,  that  you  may  see  both  sides  of 
me.  Now  do  you  know  I  am  your  friend,  for  you  look 
on  a  part  that  a  Pawnee  never  yet  saw.  Now  look  at  my 
face;  not  in  this  seam,  for  there  your  eyes  can  never  see 
into  my  spirit.  It  is  a  hole  cut  by  a  Konza.  But  here 
is  an  opening  made  by  the  Wahcondah,  through  which 
you  may  look  into  the  soul.  What  am  I?  A  Dahcotah, 
within  and  without.  You  know  it.  Therefore  hear  me. 
The  blood  of  every  creature  on  the  prairie  is  red.  Who 
can  tell  the  spot  where  a  Pawnee  was  struck,  from  the 
place  where  my  young  men  took  a  bison?  It  is  of  the 
same  color.  The  Master  of  Life  made  them  for  each  other. 
He  made  them  alike.  But  will  the  grass  grow  green 
where  a  pale  face  is  killed?  My  young  men  must  not 
think  that  nation  so  numerous,  that  it  will  not  miss  a 
warrior.  They  call  them  over  often,  and  say,  Where  are 
my  sons?  If  they  miss  one,  they  will  send  into  the 
prairies  to  look  for  him.  If  they  cannot  find  him,  they 
will  tell  their  runners  to  ask  for  him,  among  the  Sioux. 
My  brethren,  the  Big-knives  are  not  fools.  There  is  a 
mighty  medicine  of  their  nation  now  among  us;  who  can 
tell  how  loud  is  his  voice,  or  how  long  is  his  arm?" 

The  speech  of  the  orator,  who  was  beginning  to  enter 
into  his  subject  with  warmth,  was  cut  short  by  the  impa 
tient  Mahtoree,  who  suddenly  arose  and  exclaimed,  in  a 
voice  in  which  authority  was  mingled  with  contempt,  and 
at  the  close  with  a  keen  tone  of  irony  also: 

"Let  my  young  men  lead  the  evil  spirit  of  the  paleface 
to  the  council.  My  brother  shall  see  his  medicine  face  to 
face!" 

^  A  death-like  and  solemn  stillness  succeeded  this  extraor 
dinary  interruption.  It  not  only  involved  a  deep  offense 
against  the  sacred  courtesy  of  debate,  but  the  mandate 
was  likely  to  brave  the  unknown  power  of  one  of  those 
incomprehensible  beings,  whom  few  Indians  were  enlight- 


THE   PRAIRIE  351 

ened  enough  at  that  day  to  regard  without  reverence,  or 
few  hardy  enough  to  oppose.  The  subordinates,  however, 
obeyed,  and  Obed  was  led  forth  from  the  lodge  mounted 
onAsinus,  with  a  ceremony  and  state  which  was  certainly 
intended  for  derision,  but  which  nevertheless  was  greatly 
enhanced  by  fear.  As  they  entered  the  ring,  Mahtoree, 
who  had  foreseen  and  then  endeavored  to  anticipate  the 
influence  of  the  Doctor  by  bringing  him  into  contempt, 
cast  an  eye  around  the  assembly  in  order  to  gather  his 
success  in  the  various  dark  visages  by  which  he  was 
encircled. 

Truly,  nature  and  art  had  combined  to  produce  such, 
an  effect  from  the  air  and  appointments  of  the  naturalist, 
as  might  have  made  him  the  subject  of  wonder  in  any 
place.  His  head  had  been  industriously  shaved,  after 
the  most  approved  fashion  of  Sioux  taste.  A  gallant 
scalp-lock,  which  would  probably  not  have  been  spared 
had  the  Doctor  himself  been  consulted  in  the  matter,  was 
all  that  remained  of  an  exuberant,  and  at  that  particular 
season  of  the  year,  far  from  uncomfortable  head  of  hair. 
Thick  coats  of  paint  had  been  laid  on  the  naked  poll,  and 
certain  fanciful  designs  in  the  same  material  had  even 
been  extended  into  the  neighborhood  of  the  eyes  and 
mouth,  lending  to  the  keen  expression  of  the  former  a 
a  look  of  twinkling  cunning,  and  to  the  dogmatism  of  the 
latter  not  a  little  of  the  grimness  of  necromancy.  He  had 
been  despoiled  of  his  upper  garments,  and  in  their  stead 
his  body  was  sufficiently  protected  from  the  cold  by  a  fan 
tastically  painted  robe  of  dressed  deerskin.  As  if  in 
mockery  of  his  pursuit,  sundry  toads,  frogs,  lizards,  but 
terflies,  etc.,  all  duly  prepared  to  take  their  places  at 
some  future  day  in  his  own  private  cabinet,  were  attached 
to  the  solitary  lock  on  his  head,  to  his  ears,  and  to  various 
other  conspicuous  parts  of  his  person.  If,  in  addition  to 
the  effect  produced  by  these  quaint  auxiliaries  to  his  cos 
tume,  we  add  the  portentous  and  troubled  gleamings  of 
doubt,  which  rendered  his  visage  austere,  and  proclaimed 
the  misgivings  of  the  worthy  Obed's  mind  as  he  beheld 
his  personal  dignity  thus  prostrated,  and  what  was  of  far 
greater  moment  in  his  eyes,  himself  led  forth,  as  he 
firmly  believed,  to  be  the  victim  of  some  heathenish  sac- 


352  THE   PRAIRIE 

rifice,  the  reader  will  find  no  difficulty  in  giving  credit 
to  the  sensation  of  awe  that  was  excited  by  his  appearance 
in  a  band  already  more  than  half  prepared  to  worship 
him  as  a  powerful  agent  of  the  evil  spirit. 

Weucha  led  Asinus  directly  into  the  center  of  the  circle, 
and  leaving  them  together  (for  the  legs  of  the  naturalist 
were  attached  to  the  beast  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  two 
animals  might  be  said  to  be  incorporated,  and  to  form  a 
new  order),  he  withdrew  to  his  proper  place,  gazing  at 
the  conjuror,  as  he  retired,  with  a  wonder  and  admira 
tion  that  where  natural  to  the  groveling  dullness  of  his 
mind. 

The  astonishment  seemed  mutual,  between  the  specta 
tors  and  the  subject  of  this  strange  exhibition.  If  the 
Tetons  contemplated  the  mysterious  attributes  of  the 
medicine  with  awe  and  fear,  the  Doctor  gazed  on  every 
side  of  him,  with  a  mixture  of  quite  as  many  extraordi 
nary  emotions,  in  which  the  latter  sensation,  however, 
formed  no  inconsiderable  ingredient.  Everywhere  his 
eyes,  which  just  at  that  moment  possessed  a  secret  magni 
fying  quality,  seemed  to  rest  on  several  dark,  savage, 
and  obdurate  countenances  at  once,  from  none  of  which 
could  he  extract  a  solitary  gleam  of  sympathy  or  com 
miseration.  At  length  his  wandering  gaze  fell  on  the 
grave  and  decent  features  of  the  trapper,  who,  with  Hec 
tor  at  his  feet,  stood  in  the  edge  of  the  circle,  leaning  on 
that  rifle  which  he  had  been  permitted,  as  an  acknowl 
edged  friend,  to  resume,  and  apparently  musing  on  the 
events  that  were  likely  to  succeed  a  council  marked  by  so 
many  and  such  striking  ceremonies. 

"Venerable  venator,  or  hunter,  or  trapper,"  said  the 
disconsolate  Obed,  "I  rejoice  greatly  in  meeting  thee 
again;  I  fear  that  the  precious  time,  which  had  been 
allotted  me,  in  order  to  complete  a  mighty  labor,  is  draw 
ing  to  a  premature  close,  and  I  would  gladly  unburden 
my  mind  to  one  who,  if  not  a  pupil  of  science,  has  at 
least  some  of  the  knowledge  which  civilization  imparts  to 
its  meanest  subjects.  Doubtless  many  and  earnest  in 
quiries  will  be  made  after  my  fate,  by  the  learned  soci 
eties  of  the  world,  and  perhaps  expeditions  will  be  sent 
into  these  regions  to  remove  any  doubt  which  may  arise 


THE   PRAIRIE  353 

on  so  important  a  subject.  I  esteem  myself  happy  that  a 
man,  who  speaks  the  vernacular,  is  present,  to  preserve 
the  record  of  my  end.  You  will  say  that  after  a  well  spent 
and  glorious  life,  I  died  a  martyr  to  science,  and  a  victim 
to  mental  darkness.  As  I  expect  to  be  particularly  calm 
and  abstracted  in  my  last  moments,  if  you  add  a  few  de 
tails  concerning  the  fortitude  and  scholastic  dignity  with 
which  I  met  my  death,  it  may  serve  to  encourage  future 
aspirants  for  similar  honors,  and  assuredly  give  offense 
to  no  one.  And  now,  friend  trapper,  as  a  duty  I  owe  to 
human  nature,  I  will  conclude  by  demanding  if  all  hope 
has  deserted  me,  or  if  any  means  still  exist  by  which  so 
much  valuable  information  maybe  rescued  from  the  grasp 
of  ignorance,  and  preserved  to  the  pages  of  natural  his 
tory?" 

The  old  man  lent  an  attentive  ear  to  this  melancholy 
appeal,  and  apparently  he  reflected  on  every  side  of  the 
important  question,  before  he  would  presume  to  answer. 

"I  take  it,  friend  physicianer, "  he  at  length  gravely 
replied,  "that  the  chances  of  life  and  death,  in  your  par 
ticular  case,  depend  altogether  on  the  will  of  Providence, 
as  it  may  be  pleased  to  manifest  it  through  the  accursed 
windings  of  Indian  cunning.  For  my  own  part,  I  see  no 
great  difference  in  the  main  end  to  be  gained,  inasmuch 
as  it  can  matter  no  one  greatly,  yourself  excepted,  whether 
you  live  or  die." 

"Would  you  account  the  fall  of  a  cornerstone  from  the 
foundations  of  the  edifice  of  learning,  a  matter  of  indif 
ference  to  contemporaries  or  to  posterity?"  interrupted 
Obed.  "Besides,  my  aged  associate,"  he  reproachfully 
added,  "the  interest  that  a  man  has  in  his  own  existence, 
is  by  no  means  trifling,  however  it  maybe  eclipsed  by  his 
devotion  to  more  general  and  philanthropic  feelings." 

"What  I  would  say  is  this,"  resumed  the  trapper,  who 
was  far  from  understanding  all  the  subtle  distinctions 
with  which  his  more  learned  companion  so  often  saw  fit 
to  embellish  his  discourse;  "there  is  but  one  birth  and 
one  death  to  all  things,  be  it  hound  or  be  it  deer;  be  it 
red-skin  or  be  it  white.  Both  are  in  the  hands  of  the 
Lord,  it  being  as  unlawful  for  man  to  strive  to  hasten 
the  one,  as  impossible  to  prevent  the  other.  But  I  will 
23 


354  THE   PRAIRIE 

not  say  that  something  may  not  be  done  to  put  the  last 
moment  aside,  for  a  while  at  least,  and  therefore  it  is  a 
question,  that  any  one  has  a  right  to  put  to  his  own  wis 
dom,  how  far  he  will  go,  and  how  much  pain  he  will 
suffer,  to  lengthen  out  a  time  that  may  have  been  too 
long  already.  Many  a  dreary  winter  and  scorching  sum 
mer  has  gone  by  since  I  have  turned  to  the  right  hand  or 
to  the  left,  to  add  an  hour  to  a  life  that  has  already 
stretched  beyond  fourscore  years.  I  keep  myself  as  ready 
to  answer  to  my  name  as  a  soldier  at  evening  roll-call. 
In  my  judgment,  if  your  cases  are  left  to  Indian  tempers, 
the  policy  of  the  Great  Sioux  will  lead  his  people  to 
sacrifice  you  all ;  nor  do  I  put  much  dependence  on  his 
seeming  love  for  me;  therefore  it  becomes  a  question 
whether  you  are  ready  for  such  a  journey;  and,  if,  being 
ready,  whether  this  is  not  as  good  a  time  to  start  as 
another.  Should  my  opinion  be  asked,  thus  far  will  I 
give  it  in  your  favor;  that  is  to  say,  it  is  my  belief  your 
life  has  been  innocent  enough,  touching  any  great  offenses 
that  you  may  have  committed,  though  honesty  compels 
me  to  add,  that  I  think  all  you  can  lay  claim  to,  on  the 
score  of  activity  in  deeds,  will  not  amount  to  anything 
worth  naming  in  the  great  account. ' ' 

Obed  turned  a  rueful  eye  on  the  calm,  philosophic 
countenance  of  the  other,  as  he  answered  with  so  dis 
couraging  a  statement  of  his  case,  clearing  his  throat,  as 
he  did  so,  in  order  to  conceal  the  desperate  concern  which 
began  to  beset  his  faculties,  with  a  vestige  of  that  pride 
which  rarely  deserts  poor  human  nature,  even  in  the 
greatest  emergencies. 

"I  believe,  venerable  hunter,"  he  replied,  "considering 
the  question  in  all  its  bearings,  and  assuming  that  your 
theory  is  just,  it  will  be  the  safest  to  conclude  that  I  am 
not  prepared  to  make  so  hasty  a  departure,  and  that 
measures  of  precaution  should  be  forthwith  resorted  to." 

"Being  in  that  mind,"  returned  the  deliberate  trapper, 
"I  will  act  for  you  as  I  would  for  myself;  though  as  time 
has  begun  to  roll  down  the  hill  with  you,  I  will  just  ad 
vise  that  you  look  to  your  case  speedily,  for  it  may  so 
happen  that  your  name  will  be  heard  when  quite  as  little 
prepared  to  answer  to  it  as  now." 


THE   PRAIRIE  355 

With  this  amicable  understanding,  the  old  man  drew 
back  again  into  the  ring,  where  he  stood  musing  on  the 
course  he  should  now  adopt,  with  the  singular  mixture  of 
decision  and  resignation  that  proceeded  from  his  habits 
and  his  humility,  and  which  united  to  form  a  character, 
in  which  excessive  energy,  and  the  most  meek  submission 
to  the  will  of  Providence,  were  oddly  enough  combined. 


CHAPTER  XXVIH 

"  The  witch,  in  Smithfield,  shall  be  burned  to  ashes, 
And  you  three  shall  be  strangled  on  the  gallows." 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  Sioux  had  awaited  the  issue  of  the  foregoing 
dialogue  with  commendable  patience.  Most  of  the  band 
were  restrained  by  the  secret  awe  with  which  they  re 
garded  the  mysterious  character  of  Obed;  while  a  few  of 
the  more  intelligent  chiefs  gladly  profited  by  the  oppor 
tunity,  to  arrange  their  thoughts  for  the  struggle  that 
was  plainly  foreseen.  Mahtoree,  influenced  by  neither  of 
these  feelings,  was  content  to  show  the  trapper  how  much 
he  conceded  to  his  pleasure;  and  when  the  old  man  dis 
continued  the  discourse,  he  received  from  the  chief  a 
glance  that  was  intended  to  remind  him  of  the  patience 
with  which  he  had  awaited  his  movements.  A  profound 
and  motionless  silence  succeeded  the  short  interruption. 
Then  Mahtoree  arose,  evidently  prepared  to  speak.  First 
placing  himself  in  an  attitude  of  dignity,  he  turned  a 
steady  and  severe  look  on  the  whole  assembly. 

The  expression  of  his  eye,  however,  changed  as  it 
glanced  across  the  different  countenances  of  his  supporters 
and  of  his  opponents.  To  the  former  the  look,  though 
stern,  was  not  threatening,  while  it  seemed  to  tell  the 
latter  all  the  hazards  they  incurred,  in  daring  to  brave 
the  resentment  of  one  so  powerful. 

Still,  in  the  midst  of  so  much  hauteur  and  confidence, 
the  sagacity  and  cunning  of  the  Teton  did  not  desert  him. 
When  he  had  thrown  the  gauntlet,  as  it  were,  to  the  whole 
tribe,  and  sufficiently  asserted  his  claim  to  superiority, 
his  mien  became  more  affable  and  his  eye  less  angry. 
Then  it  was  that  he  raised  his  voice  in  the  midst  of  a 
death-like  stillness  varying  its  tones  to  suit  the  changing 
character  of  his  images  and  of  his  eloquence. 

"What  is  a  Sioux?"  the  chief  sagaciously  began;  "he 
356 


THE   PRAIRIE  357 

is  ruler  of  the  prairies,  and  master  of  its  beasts.  The 
fishes  in  the  'river  of  troubled  waters'  know  him,  and 
come  at  his  call.  He  is  a  fox  in  counsel;  an  eagle  in 
sight;  a  grizzly  bear  in  combat.  A  Dahcotah  is  a  man!" 
After  waiting  for  the  low  murmur  of  approbation  which 
followed  this  flattering  portrait  of  his  people  to  subside, 
the  Teton  continued,  "What  is  a  Pawnee?  A  thief,  who 
only  steals  from  women;  a  red-skin  who  is  not  brave;  a 
hunter  that  begs  for  his  venison.  In  counsel  he  is  a 
squirrel,  hopping  from  place  to  place;  he  is  an  owl,  that 
goes  on  the  prairies  at  night;  in  battle  he  is  an  elk,  whose 
legs  are  long.  A  Pawnee  is  a  woman. ' '  Another  pause 
succeeded,  during  which  a  yell  of  delight  broke  from 
several  mouths,  and  a  demand  was  made  that  the  taunting 
words  should  be  translated  to  the  unconscious  subject  of 
their  fitting  contempt.  The  old  man  took  his  cue  from  the 
eyes  of  Mahtoree,  and  complied.  Hard-Heart  listened 
gravely,  and  then,  as  if  apprised  that  his  time  to  speak 
had  not  arrived,  he  once  more  bent  his  look  on  the  vacant 
air.  The  orator  watched  his  countenance,  with  an  expres 
sion  that  manifested  how  inextinguishable  was  the  hatred 
he  felt  for  the  only  chief,  far  and  near,  whose  fame  might 
advantageously  be  compared  with  his  own.  Though  disap 
pointed  in  not  having  touched  the  pride  of  one  whom  he 
regarded  as  a  boy,  he  proceeded,  what  he  considered  as 
far  more  important,  to  quicken  the  tempers  of  the  men 
of  his  own  tribe,  in  order  that  they  might  be  prepared  to 
work  his  savage  purposes.  "If  the  earth  was  covered  with 
rats,  which  are  good  for  nothing,"  he  said,  "there  would 
be  no  room  for  buffaloes,  which  give  food  and  clothes  to 
an  Indian  If  the  prairies  were  covered  with  Pawnees, 
there  would  be  no  room  for  the  foot  of  a  Dahcotah.  A 
Loup  is  a  rat,  a  Sioux  a  heavy  buffalo;  let  the  buffaloes 
tread  upon  the  rats,  and  make  room  for  themselves. 

"My  brothers,  a  little  child  has  spoken  to  you.  He 
tells  you  his  hair  is  not  gray,  but  frozen;  that  the  grass 
will  not  grow  where  a  pale  face  has  died!  Does  he  know 
the  color  of  the  blood  of  a  Big-knife?  No!  I  know  he 
does  not;  he  has  never  seen  it.  What  Dahcotah  besides 
Mahtoree  has  ever  struck  a  pale  face?  Not  one.  But 
Mahtoree  must  be  silent.  Every  Teton  will  shut  his  ears 


358  THE   PRAIRIE 

when  he  speaks.  The  scalps  over  his  lodge  were  taken 
by  the  women.  They  were  taken  by  Mahtoree,  and  he  is 
a  woman.  His  mouth  is  shut;  he  waits  for  the  feasts,1 
to  sing  among  the  girls!" 

Notwithstanding  the  exclamations  of  regret  and  resent 
ment  which  followed  so  abasing  a  declaration,  the  chief 
took  his  seat,  as  if  determined  to  speak  no  more.  But  the 
murmurs  grew  louder  and  more  general,  and  there  were 
threatening  symptoms  that  the  council  would  dissolve  it 
self  in  confusion;  and  he  arose  and  resumed  his  speech, 
by  changing  his  manner  to  the  fierce  and  hurried  enuncia 
tion  of  a  warrior  bent  on  revenge. 

"Let  my  young  men  go  look  for  Tetao!"  he  cried; 
"they  will  find  his  scalp  drying  in  Pawnee  smoke.  Where 
is  the  son  of  Bohrecheena?  His  bones  are  whiter  than 
the  faces  of  his  murderers.  Is  Mahhah  asleep  in  his 
lodge?  You  know  it  is  many  moons  since  he  started  for 
the  blessed  prairies;  would  he  were  here,  that  he  might 
say  of  what  color  was  the  hand  that  took  his  scalp!" 

In  this  strain  the  artful  chief  continued  for  many  min 
utes,  calling  those  warriors  by  name  who  were  known  to 
have  met  their  deaths  in  battle  with  the  Pawnees,  or  in 
some  of  those  lawless  frays  which  so  often  occurred  be- 


1  Bishop  Whipple  thus  describes  this  feast  in  "  Home  and  Abroad  "  for  May, 
1872: 

"  With  Rev.  Mr.  Hinman,  missionary  to  the  Sioux,  and  a  party  of  ladies  I  once 
visited  an  Indian  village  at  the  time  of  the  '  Maiden  Feast. '  An  old  medicine-man, 
with  gray  hair  and  venerable  form,  went  from  tipi  to  tipi,  telling  every  one  that 
the  Dahcotahs  (Sioux)  were  about  to  hold  this  feast.  The  Indians  came  flocking 
to  the  place  selected,  which  was  a  beautiful  level  prairie.  They  were  all  clad  in 
holiday  garb ;  the  men  with  war  paint  and  feathers,  colored  blankets  and  belts, 
and  garters  of  beads  and  wampum.  The  women  and  maidens  were  dressed  with 
all  the  care  of  Indian  belles.  The  crier  placed  a  sacred  stone  in  the  center  of  the 
gathering  place,  and  ornamented  it  with  feathers.  The  people  formed  into  a 
large  circle  inclosing  a  space  of  about  two  acres.  The  old  man  then  addressed 
them,  telling  them  in  solemn  words  of  the  antiquity  of  this  feast ;  that  it  was  one 
of  the  many  customs»of  their  fathers  in  days  when  red  men  were  like  the  leaves 
of  the  forest  for  multitude ;  that  he  was  sad  when  he  thought  how  many  of  his 
people  had  forsaken  them  ;  that  for  this  neglect  their  young  men  and  maidens 
were  wandering  out  of  the  way.  He  told  them  of  the  object  of  this  feast ;  that  it 
was  only  for  the  pure  and  gentle  maidens,  such  as  were  worthy  to  be  daughters 
of  the  Dahcotahs.  He  said  that  any  one  who  was  impure  would  be  driven  from  the 
feast,  and  urged  all  who  were  worthy  to  come  to  it,  as  the  greatest  honor  that 
could  belong  to  womanhood. 

His  simple  speech  produced  a  deep  impression,  and,  as  he  ended,  a  prolonged 
shout  of  Ho  Ho  ! '  came  as  with  one  heart  and  voice  from  the  tribe.  There  was 
a  momentary  pause,  and  a  hushed  stillness,  so  that  one  could  almost  hear  the 
heart  beat.  A  mother  led  her  daughter,  neatly  dressed,  and  with  flowers  in  her 
hair,  to  the  sacred  stone,  and  deposited  on  the  ground  an  offering  of  food  for  the 
feast.  The  maiden,  a  girl  of  sixteen  years,  bent  down  and  touched  the  sacred 
'Btone.  Another  and  another  came,  each  led  by  her  mother's  hand.  It  was  beau- 


THE   PRAIRIE  359 

tween  the  Sioux  bands  and  a  class  of  white  men  who  were 
but  little  removed  from  them  in  the  qualities  of  civiliza 
tion.  Time  was  not  given  to  reflect  on  the  merits,  or 
rather  the  demerits,  of  most  of  the  different  individuals 
to  whom  he  alluded,  in  consequence  of  the  rapid  manner 
in  which  he  ran  over  their  names;  but  so  cunningly  did 
he  time  his  events,  and  so  thrillingly  did  he  make  his 
appeals,  aided  as  they  were  by  the  power  of  his  deep- 
toned  and  stirring  voice,  that  each  of  them  struck  an  an 
swering  chord  in  the  breast  of  some  one  of  his  auditors. 
It  was  in  the  midst  of  one  of  his  highest  flights  of  elo 
quence,  that  a  man,  so  aged  as  to  walk  with  the  greatest 
difficulty,  entered  the  very  center  of  the  circle,  and  took 
his  stand  directly  in  front  of  the  speaker.  An  ear  of 
great  acuteness  might  possibly  have  detected  that  the 
tones  of  the  orator  faltered  a  little,  as  his  flashing  look 
first  fell  on  this  unexpected  object;  though  the  change 
was  so  trifling,  that  none  but  such  as  thoroughly  knew 
the  parties  would  have  suspected  it.  The  stranger  had 
once  been  as  distinguished  for  his  beauty  and  propor 
tions,  as  had  been  his  eagle  eye  for  its  irresistible  and 
terrible  glance.  But  his  skin  was  now  wrinkled,  and  his 
features  furrowed  with  so  many  scars  as  to  have  obtained 

tiful  to  see  the  flushed  cheeks  of  the  Indian  maidens,  and  the  fond  look  of  the 
proud  mothers. 

i,  "  The  materials  for  the  feast  were  of  the  best  they  could  bring— wild  duck  veni 
son,  the  fruits  of  the  chase,  and  raisins,  figs,  and  nuts  purchased  from  the  traders. 

"The  old  medicine-man  addressed  his  people,  and  in  a  few  words  spoke  of  the 
charms  of  these  maidens,  and  said  that  any  Dahcotah  who  had  been  on  the  war 
path,  and  killed  his  enemy  before  he  had  made  love  to  a  woman,  was  entitled  to  eat 
at  the  '  Maiden's  Feast. '  A  young  brave,  decked  with  one  eagle's  feather,  stepped 
proudly  across  the  open  space,  and,  stooping  down,  touched  the  stone,  and  then 
in  a  deep-toned,  earnest  voice,  told  the  story  of  following  his  enemy  on  the  war 
path  ;  how  he  crossed  prairies  and  streams ;  how  he  followed  blind  trails  in  the 
forest ;  how  he  lurked  for  him  in  ambush  ;  and  at  last  killed  him  and  brought 
his^  scalp  as  a  trophy  to  his  people. 

"  Another  and  another  followed,  and  when  all  who  chose  had  come,  the  old 
crier  challenged  the  people,  telling  them  that  they  had  heard  the  story  of  the 
young  men,  and  had  seen  the  vow  of  these  maidens.  If  any  one  knew  of  any 
reason  why  these  should  not  oat  of  the  '  Maiden's  Feast,'  he  was  to  corre  forward 
and  proclaim  it  to  the  tribe.  For  a  moment  there  was  silence.  A  young  man 
walked  across  the  open  space,  and,  laying  his  hand  on  one  of  the  Indian  girls, 
told  the  reason  why  he  believed  she  was  not  worthy.  The  maiden  with  flushed 
cheek,  answered,  and  he  in  turn  replied.  His  last  statement  seemed  to  carry 
conviction  to  the  crowd,  and,  amid  shouts  of  derision,  she  left  her  fellows,  and  it 
was  understood  would  henceforth  be  branded  as  a  child  of  shame.  There  were 
two  things  in  the  observance  of  this  feast  which  deeply  impressed  me.  The  tes 
timony  to  bravery,  and  that  to  virtue 

"  This  was  the  only  time  I  had  ever  heard  of  this  feast,  and  an  old  trader  who 
was  with  me  said  he  had  not  witnessed  it  for  thirty  years,  but  that  when  he  first 
came  to  the  country  it  was  an  annual  occurrence." 


360  THE   PRAIRIE 

for  him,  half  a  century  before,  from  the  French  of  the 
Canadas,  a  title  which  has  been  borne  by  so  many  of  the 
heroes  of  France,  and  which  had  now  been  adopted  into 
the  language  of  the  wild  horde  of  whom  we  are  writing, 
as  the  one  most  expressive  of  the  deeds  of  their  own  brave. 
The  murmur  of  "Le  Balafre,"  that  ran  through  the 
assembly  when  he  appeared,  announced  not  only  his  name, 
and  the  high  estimation  of  his  character,  but  how  ex 
traordinary  his  visit  was  considered.  As  he  neither  spoke 
nor  moved,  however,  the  sensation  created  by  his  appear 
ance  soon  subsided,  and  then  every  eye  was  again  turned 
upon  the  speaker,  and  every  ear  once  more  drank  in  the 
intoxication  of  his  maddening  appeals. 

It  would  have  been  easy  to  have  traced  the  triumph  of 
Mahtoree  in  the  reflecting  countenances  of  his  auditors. 
It  was  not  long  before  a  look  of  ferocity  and  of  revenge 
was  to  be  seen  seated  on  the  grim  visages  of  most  of  the 
warriors,  and  each  new  and  crafty  allusion  to  the  policy 
of  extinguishing  their  enemies  was  followed  by  fresh  and 
less  restrained  bursts  of  approbation.  In  the  height  of 
this  success  the  Teton  closed  his  speech  by  a  rapid  appeal 
to  the  pride  and  hardihood  of  his  native  band,  and  sud 
denly  took  his  seat. 

In  the  midst  of  the  murmurs  of  applause  which  suc 
ceeded  so  remarkable  an  effort  of  eloquence,  a  low,  feeble, 
and  hollow  voice  was  heard  rising  on  the  ear,  as  if  it 
rolled  from  the  inmost  cavities  of  the  human  chest,  and 
gathered  strength  and  energy  as  it  issued  into  the  air. 
A  solemn  stillness  followed  the  sounds,  and  then  the  lips 
of  the  aged  man  were  first  seen  to  move. 

"The  day  of  Le  Balafre  is  near  its  end,"  were  the  first 
words  that  were  distinctly  audible.  "He  is  like  a  buffalo 
on  whom  the  hair  will  grow  no  longer.  He  will  soon  be 
ready  to  leave  his  lodge  to  go  in  search  of  another,  that 
is  far  from  the  villages  of  the  Sioux;  therefore,  what  he 
has  to  say  concerns  not  him,  but  those  he  leaves  behind 
him.  His  words  are  like  the  fruit  on  the  tree,  ripe,  and 
fit  to  be  given  to  chiefs. 

"Many  snows  have  fallen  since  Le  Balafre  has  been 
found  on  the  war-path.  His  blood  has  been  very  hot,  but 
it  has  had  time  to  cool.  The  Wahcondah  gives  him 


THE   PRAIRIE  361 

dreams  of  war  no  longer;  he  sees  that  it  is  better  to  live 
in  peace. 

"My  brothers,  one  foot  is  turned  to  the  happy  hunting- 
grounds,  the  other  will  soon  follow,  and  then  an  old  chief 
will  be  seen  looking  for  the  prints  of  his  father's  mocca 
sins  that  he  may  make  no  mistake,  but  be  sure  to  come 
before  the  Master  of  Life  by  the  same  path  as  so  many 
good  Indians  have  already  traveled.  But  who  will  follow? 
Le  Balafre  has  no  son.  His  oldest  has  ridden  too  many 
Pawnee  horses;  the  bones  of  the  youngest  have  been 
gnawed  by  Konza  dogs!  Le  Balafre  has  come  to  look  for 
a  young  arm  on  which  he  may  lean,  and  to  find  a  son, 
that  when  he  is  gone  his  lodge  may  not  be  empty.  Tach- 
echana,  the  Skipping  Fawn  of  the  Tetons,  is  too  weak  to 
prop  a  warrior  who  is  old.  She  looks  before  her,  and 
not  backwards.  Her  mind  is  in  the  lodge  of  her  hus 
band." 

The  enunciation  of  the  veteran  warrior  had  been  calm, 
but  distinct  and  decided.  His  declaration  was  received 
in  silence;  and  though  several  of  the  chiefs,  who  were  in 
the  counsels  of  Mahtoree,  turned  their  eyes  on  their 
leader,  none  presumed  to  oppose  so  aged  and  so  venerated 
a  brave,  in  a  resolution  that  was  strictly  in  conformity 
to  the  usages  of  the  nation.  The  Teton  himself  was  con 
tent  to  await  the  result  with  seeming  composure,  though 
the  gleams  of  ferocity  that  played  about  his  eye,  occa 
sionally  betrayed  the  nature  of  those  feelings  with  which 
he  witnessed  a  procedure  that  was  likely  to  rob  him  of 
that  one  of  all  his  intended  victims  whom  he  most  hated. 

In  the  meantime  Le  Balafre  moved  with  a  slow  and 
painful  step  towards  the  captives.  He  stopped  before  the 
person  of  Hard-Heart,  whose  faultless  form,  unchanging 
eye,  and  lofty  mien,  he  contemplated  long,  with  high  and 
evident  satisfaction.  Then  making  a  gesture  of  author 
ity,  he  awaited  until  his  order  had  been  obeyed,  and  the 
youth  was  released  from  the  post  and  his  bonds  by  the 
same  blow  of  the  knife.  When  the  young  warrior  was 
led  nearer  to  his  dimmed  and  failing  sight,  the  examina 
tion  was  renewed  with  strictness  of  scrutiny,  and  that 
admiration  which  physical  excellence  is  so  apt  to  excite 
in  the  breast  of  a  savage. 


362  THE   PRAIRIE 

"It  is  good,"  the  wary  veteran  murmured,  when  h^ 
found  that  all  his  skill  in  the  requisites  of  a  brave  could 
detect  no  blemish;  "this  is  a  leaping  panther!  Does  my 
son  speak  with  the  tongue  of  a  Teton?" 

The  intelligence  which  lighted  the  eyes  of  the  captive 
betrayed  how  well  he  understood  the  question,  but  still  he 
was  far  too  haughty  to  communicate  his  ideas  through  the 
medium  of  a  language  that  belonged  to  a  hostile  people. 
Some  of  the  surrounding  warriors  explained  to  the  old 
chief,  that  the  captive  was  a  Pawnee-Loup. 

"My  son  opened  his  eyes  on  the  'waters  of  the  wolves, '  ' 
said  Le  Balafre,  in  the  language  of  that  nation,  "but  he 
will  shut  them  in  the  bend  of  the  'river  with  a  troubled 
stream.'  He  was  born  a  Pawnee,  but  he  will  die  a  Dah- 
cotah.  Look  at  me.  I  am  a  sycamore  that  once  covered 
many  with  my  shadow.  The  leaves  are  fallen,  and  the 
branches  begin  to  drop.  But  a  single  sucker  is  springing 
from  my  roots;  it  is  a  little  vine,  and  it  winds  itself 
about  a  tree  that  is  green.  I  have  long  looked  for  one  fit 
to  grow  by  my  side.  Now  have  I  found  him.  Le  Balafre 
is  no  longer  without  a  son;  his  name  will  not  be  forgotten 
when  he  is  gone.  Men  of  the  Tetons,  I  take  this  youth 
into  my  lodge." 

No  one  was  bold  enough  to  dispute  a  right  that  had 
so  often  been  exercised  by  warriors  far  inferior  to  the 
present  speaker,  and  the  adoption  was  listened  to  in 
grave  and  respectful  silence.  Le  Balafre  took  his  in 
tended  son  by  the  arm,  and  leading  him  into  the  very 
center  of  the  circle,  he  stepped  aside  with  an  air  of 
triumph,  in  order  that  the  spectators  might  approve  of 
his  choice.  Mahtoree  betrayed  no  evidence  of  his  inten 
tions,  but  rather  seemed  to  await  a  moment  better  suited 
to  the  crafty  policy  of  his  character.  The  more  experi 
enced  and  sagacious  chiefs,  distinctly  foresaw  the  utter 
impossibility  of  two  partisans  so  renowned,  so  hostile, 
and  who  had  so  long  been  rivals  in  fame,  as  their  prisoner 
and  their  native  leader,  existing  amicably  in  the  same 
tribe.  Still  the  character  of  Le  Balafre  was  so  imposing, 
and  the  custom  to  which  he  had  resorted  so  sacred,  that 
none  dared  to  lift  a  voice  in  opposition  to  the  measure. 
They  watched  the  result  with  increasing  interest,  but 


THE   PRAIRIE  363 

with  a  coldness  of  demeanor  that  concealed  the  nature  of 
their  inquietude.  From  this  state  of  embarrassment,  and 
as  it  might  readily  have  proved  of  disorganization,  the 
tribe  was  unexpectedly  relieved  by  the  decision  of  one 
most  interested  in  the  success  of  the  aged  chief's  designs. 

During  the  whole  of  the  foregoing  scene  it  would  have 
been  difficult  to  have  traced  a  single  distinct  emotion  in 
the  lineaments  of  the  captive.  He  had  heard  his  release 
proclaimed,  with  the  same  indifference  as  the  order  to 
bind  him  to  the  stake.  But,  now  that  the  moment  had 
arrived  when  it  became  necessary  to  make  his  election,  he 
spoke  in  a  way  to  prove  that  the  fortitude  which  had 
brought  him  so  distinguished  a  name,  had  in  no  degree 
deserted  him. 

"My  father  is  very  old,  but  he  has  not  yet  looked  upon 
everything,"  said  Hard-Heart,  in  a  voice  so  clear  as  to  be 
heard  by  all  in  presence.  "He  has  never  seen  a  buffalo 
change  to  a  bat;  he  will  never  see  a  Pawnee  become  a 
Sioux!" 

There  was  a  suddenness,  and  yet  a  calmness  in  the  man 
ner  of  delivering  this  decision,  which  assured  most  of  the 
auditors  that  it  was  unalterable.  The  heart  of  Le  Balafre, 
however,  was  yearning  towards  the  youth,  and  the  fond 
ness  of  age  was  not  so  readily  repulsed.  Reproving  the 
burst  of  admiration  and  triumph  to  which  the  boldness  of 
the  declaration  and  the  freshened  hopes  of  revenge  had 
given  rise,  by  turning  his  gleaming  eye  around  the  band, 
the  veteran  again  addressed  his  adopted  child,  as  if  his 
purpose  was  not  to  be  denied. 

"It  is  well,"  he  said;  "such  are  the  words  a  brave 
should  use,  that  the  warriors  may  see  his  heart.  The  day 
has  been  when  the  voice  of  Le  Balafre  was  loudest  among 
the  lodges  of  the  Konzas.  But  the  root  of  a  white  hair  is 
wisdom.  My  child  will  show  the  Tetons  that  he  is  brave, 
by  striking  their  enemies.  Men  of  the  Dahcotahs,  this  is 
my  son!" 

The  Pawnee  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  stepping  in 
front  of  the  chief,  he  took  his  hard  and  wrinkled  hand, 
and  laid  it  with  reverence  on  his  head,  as  if  to  acknowl 
edge  the  extent  of  his  obligation.  Then  recoiling  a  step, 
he  raised  his  person  to  its  greatest  elevation,  and  looked 


364  THE   PRAIRIE 

upon  the  hostile  band  by  whom  he  was  environed,  with  an 
air  of  loftiness  and  disdain,  as  he  spoke  aloud  in  the  lan 
guage  of  the  Sioux: 

"Hard-Heart  has  looked  at  himself  within  and  without. 
He  has  thought  of  all  he  has  done  in  the  hunts  and  in  the 
wars.  Everywhere  he  is  the  same.  There  is  no  change. 
He  is  in  all  things  a  Pawnee.  He  has  struck  so  many 
Tetons  that  he  could  never  eat  in  their  lodges.  His  arrows 
would  fly  backwards;  the  point  of  his  lance  would  be  on 
the  wrong  end;  friends  would  weep  at  every  whoop  he 
gave;  their  enemies  would  laugh.  Do  the  Tetons  know  a 
Loup?  Let  them  look  at  him  again.  His  head  is  painted; 
his  arm  is  flesh;  his  heart  is  rock.  When  the  Tetons  see 
the  sun  come  from  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  move  towards 
the  land  of  the  pale  faces,  the  mind  of  Hard-Heart  will 
soften,  and  his  spirit  will  become  Sioux.  Until  that  day 
he  will  live  and  die  a  Pawnee." 

A  yell  of  delight,  in  which  admiration  and  ferocity 
were  strangely  mingled,  interrupted  the  speaker,  and  but 
too  clearly  announced  the  character  of  his  fate.  The  cap 
tive  awaited  a  moment  for  the  commotion  to  subside,  and 
then  turning  again  to  Le  Balafre,  he  continued,  in  tones 
conciliating  and  kind,  as  if  he  felt  the  propriety  of  soft 
ening  his  refusal,  in  a  manner  not  to  wound  the  pride  of 
one  who  would  so  gladly  be  his  benefactor. 

"Let  my  father  lean  heavier  on  the  Fawn  of  the  Dah- 
cotahs, "  he  said;  "she  is  weak  now,  but  as  her  lodge  fills 
with  young,  she  will  be  stronger.  See,"  he  added,  direct 
ing  the  eyes  of  the  other  to  the  earnest  countenance  of  the 
attentive  trapper;  "Hard-Heart  is  not  without  a  gray - 
head  to  show  him  the  path  to  the  blessed  prairies.  If  he 
ever  has  another  father,  it  shall  be  that  just  warrior. ' ' 

Le  Balafre  turned  away  in  disappointment  from  the 
youth,  and  approached  the  stranger  who  had  thus  antici 
pated  his  design.  The  examination  between  these  two 
aged  men  was  long,  mutual,  and  curious.  It  was  not  easy 
to  detect  the  real  character  of  the  trapper,  through  the 
mask  which  the  hardships  of  so  many  years  had  laid  upon 
his  features,  especially  when  aided  by  his  wild  and  pecu 
liar  attire.  Some  moments  elapsed  before  the  Teton  spoke, 
and  then  it  was  in  doubt  whether  he  addressed  one  like 


THE   PRAIRIE  365 

himself,  or  some  wanderer  of  that  race  who,  he  had  heard, 
were  spreading  themselves  like  hungry  locusts  throughout 
the  land. 

"The  head  of  my  brother  is  very  white,"  he  said;  "but 
the  eye  of  Le  Balafre  is  no  longer  like  the  eagle's.  Of 
what  color  is  his  skin?" 

'  'The  Wahcondah  made  me  like  these  you  see  waiting  for 
a  Dahcotah  judgment;  but  fair  and  foul  has  colored  me 
darker  than  the  skin  of  a  fox.  What  of  that!  though  the 
bark  is  ragged  and  riven,  the  heart  of  the  tree  is  sound." 

"My  brother  is  a  Big-knife!  Let  him  turn  his  face 
towards  the  setting  sun,  and  open  his  eyes.  Does  he  see 
the  Salt-lake  beyond  the  mountains?" 

"The  time  has  been,  Teton,  when  few  could  see  the 
white  on  an  eagle's  head  farther  than  I;  but  the  glare  of 
fourscore  and  seven  winters  has  dimmed  my  eyes,  and  but 
little  can  I  boast  of  sight  in  my  latter  days.  Does  the 
Sioux  think  a  pale  face  is  a  god,  that  he  can  look  through 
the  hills!" 

"Then  let  my  brother  look  at  me.  I  am  nigh  him,  and 
he  can  see  that  I  am  a  foolish  red  man.  Why  cannot  his 
people  see  everything,  since  they  crave  all?" 

"I  understand  you,  chief,  nor  will  I  gainsay  the  justice 
of  your  words,  seeing  that  they  are  too  much  founded  in 
truth.  But  though  born  of  the  race  you  love  so  little,  my 
worst  enemy,  not  even  a  lying  Mingo,  would  dare  to  say 
that  I  ever  laid  hands  on  the  goods  of  another,  except 
such  as  were  taken  in  manful  warfare;  or  that  I  ever 
coveted  more  ground  than  the  Lord  has  intended  each  man 
to  fill." 

"And  yet  my  brother  has  come  among  the  red-skins  to 
find  a  son?" 

The  trapper  laid  a  finger  on  the  naked  shoulder  of  Le 
Balafre,  and  looked  into  his  scarred  countenance  with  a 
wistful  and  confidential  expression,  as  he  answered: 

"Ay;  but  it  was  only  that  I  might  do  good  to  the  boy. 
If  you  think,  Dahcotah,  that  I  adopted  the  youth  in  order 
to  prop  my  age,  you  do  as  much  injustice  to  my  good-will 
as  you  seem  to  know  little  of  the  merciless  intentions  of 
your  own  people.  I  have  made  him  my  son,  that  he  may 
know  that  one  is  left  behind  him.  Peace,  Hector,  peace! 


366  THE   PRAIRIE 

Is  this  decent,  pup,  when  gray-heads  are  counseling 
together,  to  break  in  upon  their  discourse  with  the  whin- 
ings  of  a  hound!  The  dog  is  old,  Teton;  and  though  well 
taught  in  respect  to  behavior,  he  is  getting,  like  our 
selves,  I  fancy,  something  forgetful  of  the  fashions  of  his 
youth." 

Further  discourse,  between  these  veterans,  was  inter 
rupted  by  a  discordant  yell,  which  burst  at  that  moment 
from  the  lips  of  the  dozen  withered  crones,  who  have  al 
ready  been  mentioned  as  having  forced  themselves  into  a 
conspicuous  part  of  the  circle.  The  outcry  was  excited  by 
a  sudden  change  in  the  air  of  Hard-Heart.  When  the  old 
men  turned  towards  the  youth,  they  saw  him  standing  in 
the  very  center  of  the  ring,  with  his  head  erect,  his  eye 
fixed  on  vacancy,  one  leg  advanced  and  an  arm  a  little 
raised,  as  if  all  his  faculties  were  absorbed  in  the  act  of 
listening.  A  smile  lighted  his  countenance  for  a  single 
moment,  and  then  the  whole  man  sank  again  into  his  for 
mer  look  of  dignity  and  coldness,  suddenly  recalled  to  self- 
possession.  The  movement  had  been  construed  into  con 
tempt,  and  even  the  tempers  of  the  chiefs  began  to  be 
excited.  Unable  to  restrain  their  fury,  the  women  broke 
into  the  circle  in  a  body,  and  commenced  their  attack  by 
loading  the  captive  with  the  most  bitter  revilings.  They 
boasted  of  the  various  exploits  which  their  sons  had 
achieved  at  the  expense  of  the  different  tribes  of  the  Paw 
nees.  They  undervalued  his  own  reputation,  and  told  him 
to  look  at  Mahtoree,  if  he  had  never  yet  seen  a  warrior. 
They  accused  him  of  having  been  suckled  by  a  doe,  and  of 
having  drunk  in  cowardice  with  his  mother's  milk.  In 
short,  they  lavished  upon  their  unmoved  captive  a  torrent 
of  that  vindictive  abuse,  in  which  the  women  of  the  sav 
ages  are  so  well  known  to  excel,  but  which  has  been  too 
often  described  to  need  a  repetition  here. 

The  effect  of  this  outbreaking  was  inevitable.  Le  Bal- 
afre  turned  away  disappointed,  and  hid  himself  in  the 
crowds;  while  the  trapper,  whose  honest  features  were 
working  with  inward  emotion,  pressed  nigher  to  his  young 
friend,  as  those  who  are  linked  to  the  criminal  by  ties  so 
strong  as  to  brave  the  opinions  of  men  are  often  seen  to 
stand  about  the  place  of  execution  to  support  his  dying 


THE   PRAIRIE  367 

moments.  The  excitement  soon  spread  among  the  inferior 
warriors,  though  the  chiefs  still  forebore  to  make  the  sig 
nal  which  committed  the  victim  to  their  mercy.  Mahtoree, 
who  had  awaited  such  a  movement  among  his  fellows, 
with  the  wary  design  of  concealing  his  own  jealous  hatred 
soon  grew  weary  of  delay,  and,  by  a  glance  of  his  eye, 
encouraged  the  tormentors  to  proceed. 

Weucha,  who,  eager  for  this  sanction,  had  long  stood 
watching  the  countenance  of  the  chief,  bounded  forward 
at  the  signal  like  a  blood-hound  loosened  from  the  leash. 
Forcing  his  way  into  the  center  of  the  hags,  who  were 
already  proceeding  from  abuse  to  violence,  he  reproved 
their  impatience,  and  bade  them  wait  until  a  warrior  had 
begun  to  torment,  and  then  they  should  see  their  victim 
shed  tears  like  a  woman. 

The  heartless  savage  commenced  his  efforts  by  flourish 
ing  his  tomahawk  about  the  head  of  the  captive,  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  give  reason  to  suppose  that  each  blow 
would  bury  the  weapon  in  the  flesh,  while  it  was  so  gov 
erned  as  not  to  touch  the  skin.  To  this  customary  expedi 
ent,  Hard-Heart  was  perfectly  insensible.  His  eye  kept 
the  same  steady,  riveted  look  on  the  air,  though  the  glit 
tering  axe  described  in  its  evolutions  a  bright  circle  of 
light  before  his  countenance.  Frustrated  in  this  attempt, 
the  callous  Sioux  laid  the  cold  edge  on  the  naked  head  of 
his  victim,  and  began  to  describe  the  different  manners  in 
which  a  prisoner  might  be  flayed.  The  women  kept  time 
to  his  cruelties  with  their  taunts,  and  endeavored  to  force 
some  expression  of  the  lingerings  of  nature  from  the  in 
sensible  features  of  the  Pawnee.  But  he  evidently  reserved 
himself  for  the  chiefs,  and  for  those  moments  of  extreme 
anguish,  when  the  loftiness  of  his  spirit  might  evince  it 
self  in  a  manner  better  becoming  his  high  and  untarnished 
reputation. 

The  eyes  of  the  trapper  followed  every  movement  of  the 
tomahawk  with  the  interest  of  a  real  father,  until  at 
length,  unable  to  command  his  indignation,  he  exclaimed: 

"My  son  has  forgotten  his  cunning.  This  is  a  low- 
minded  Indian,  and  one  easily  hurried  into  folly.  I  can 
not  do  the  thing  myself,  for  my  traditions  forbid  a  dying 
warrior  to  revile  his  persecutors,  but  the  gifts  of  a  red- 


368  THE  PRAIRIE 

skin  are  different.  Let  the  Pawnee  say  the  bitter  words 
and  purchase  an  easy  death.  I  will  answer  for  his  success, 
provided  he  speaks  before  the  grave  men  set  their  wisdom 
to  back  the  folly  of  this  fool." 

The  savage  Sioux,  who  heard  his  words  without  compre 
hending  their  meaning,  turned  to  the  speaker,  and  menaced 
him  with  death  for  his  temerity. 

"Ay,  work  your  will,"  said  the  unflinching  old  man; 
"I  am  as  ready  now  as  I  shall  be  to-morrow.  Though  it 
would  be  a  death  that  an  honest  man  might  not  wish  to 
die.  Look  at  that  noble  Pawnee,  Teton,  and  see  what  a 
red-skin  may  become,  who  fears  the  Master  of  Life,  and 
follows  his  laws.  How  many  of  your  people  has  he  sent 
to  the  distant  prairies!"  he  continued,  in  a  sort  of  pious 
fraud,  thinking,  that  while  the  danger  menaced  himself, 
there  could  surely  be  no  sin  in  extolling  the  merits  of  an 
other;  "how  many  howling  Sioux  has  he  struck,  like  a 
warrior  in  open  combat,  while  arrows  were  sailing  in  the 
air  plentier  than  flakes  of  falling  snow.  Go!  will  Weucha 
speak  the  name  of  one  enemy  he  has  ever  struck?" 

"Hard-Heart!"  shouted  the  Sioux,  turning  in  his  fury, 
and  aiming  a  deadly  blow  at  the  head  of  his  victim.  His 
arm  fell  into  the  hollow  of  the  captive's  hand.  For  a 
single  moment  the  two  stood,  as  if  entranced  in  that  atti 
tude,  the  one  paralyzed  by  so  unexpected  a  resistance,  and 
the  other  bending  his  head,  not  to  meet  his  death,  but  in 
the  act  of  the  most  intense  attention.  The  women  screamed 
with  triumph,  for  they  thought  the  nerves  of  the  captive 
had  at  length  failed  him.  The  trapper  trembled  for  the 
honor  of  his  friend;  and  Hector,  as  if  conscious  of  what 
was  passing,  raised  his  nose  into  the  air,  and  uttered  a 
piteous  howl. 

But  the  Pawnee  hesitated  only  for  that  moment.  Rais 
ing  the  other  hand,  like  lightning,  the  tomahawk  flashed 
in  the  air,  and  Weucha  sank  to  his  feet,  brained  to  the 
eye.  Then  cutting  a  way  with  the  bloody  weapon  he  darted 
through  the  opening  left  by  the  frightened  women,  and 
seemed  to  descend  the  declivity  at  a  single  bound. 

Had  a  bolt  from  heaven  fallen  in  the  midst  of  the  Teton 
band  it  would  not  have  occasioned  greater  consternation 
than  this  act  of  desperate  hardihood.  A  shrill,  plaintive 


THE   PRAIRIE  369 

cry  burst  from  the  lips  of  all  the  women,  and  there  was  a 
moment  that  even  the  oldest  warriors  appeared  to  have 
lost  their  faculties.  This  stupor  endured  only  for  the 
instant.  It  was  succeeded  by  a  yell  of  revenge,  that  burst 
from  a  hundred  throats,  while  as  many  warriors  started 
forward  at  the  cry,  bent  on  the  most  bloody  retribution. 
But  a  powerful  and  authoritative  call  from  Mahtoree  ar 
rested  every  foot.  The  chief,  in  whose  countenance  dis 
appointment  and  rage  were  struggling  with  the  affected 
composure  of  his  station,  extended  an  arm  towards  the 
river,  and  the  whole  mystery  was  explained. 

Hard-Heart  had  already  crossed  half  the  bottom  which 
lay  between  the  acclivity  and  the  water.  At  this  precise 
moment  a  band  of  armed  and  mounted  Pawnees  turned  a 
swell,  and  galloped  to  the  margin  of  the  stream,  into 
which  the  plunge  of  the  fugitive  was  distinctly  heard.  A 
few  minutes  sufficed  for  his  vigorous  arm  to  conquer  the 
passage,  and  then  the  shout  from  the  opposite  shore  told 
the  humbled  Tetons  the  whole  extent  of  the  triumph  of 
their  adversaries. 

24 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

"  If  that  shepherd  be  not  in  hand-fast,  let  him  fly ;  the  curses  he  shall  have,  the 
tortures  he  shall  feel,  will  break  the  back  of  man,  the  heart  of  monster.  " 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

IT  will  readily  be  seen  that  the  event  just  related  was 
attended  by  an  extraordinary  sensation  among  the  Sioux. 
In  leading  the  hunters  of  the  band  back  to  the  encamp 
ment,  their  chief  had  neglected  none  of  the  customary 
precautions  of  Indian  prudence,  in  order  that  his  trail 
might  escape  the  eyes  of  his  enemies.  It  would  seem, 
however,  that  the  Pawnees  had  not  only  made  the  danger 
ous  discovery,  but  had  managed  with  great  art  to  draw 
nigh  the  place  by  the  only  side  on  which  it  was  thought 
unnecessary  to  guard  the  approaches  with  the  usual  line 
of  sentinels.  The  latter,  who  were  scattered  along  the 
different  little  eminences  which  lay  in  the  rear  of  the 
lodges,  were  among  the  last  to  be  apprised  of  the  danger. 

In  such  a  crisis  there  was  little  time  for  deliberation. 
It  was  by  exhibiting  the  force  of  his  character  in  scenes 
of  similar  difficulty,  that  Mahtoree  had  obtained  and 
strengthened  his  ascendency  among  his  people,  nor  did  he 
seem  likely  to  lose  it  by  the  manifestation  of  any  inde 
cision  on  the  present  occasion.  In  the  midst  of  the  screams 
of  the  young,  the  shrieks  of  the  women,  and  the  wild 
howlings  of  the  crones,  which  were  sufficient  of  themselves 
to  have  created  a  chaos  in  the  thoughts  of  one  less  accus 
tomed  to  act  in  emergencies,  he  promptly  asserted  his 
authority,  issuing  his  orders  with  the  coolness  of  a  veteran. 

While  the  warriors  were  arming,  the  boys  were  des 
patched  to  the  bottom  for  the  horses.  The  tents  were 
hastily  struck  by  the  women,  and  disposed  of  on  such  of 
the  beasts  as  were  not  deemed  fit  to  be  trusted  in  combat. 
The  infants  were  cast  upon  the  backs  of  their  mothers; 
and  those  children,  who  were  of  a  size  to  march,  were 
driven  to  the  rear,  like  a  herd  of  less  reasoning  animals. 
Though  these  several  movements  were  made  amid  outcries, 

370 


THE   PRAIRIE  371 

and  a  clamor,  that  likened  the  place  to  another  Babel,  they 
were  executed  with  incredible  alacrity  and  intelligence. 

In  the  meantime,  Mahtoree  neglected  no  duty  that  be 
longed  to  his  responsible  station.  From  the  elevation  on 
which  he  stood,  he  could  command  a  perfect  view  of  the 
force  and  evolutions  of  the  hostile  party.  A  grim  smile 
lighted  his  visage,  when  he  found  that,  in  point  of  num 
bers,  his  own  band  was  greatly  superior.  Notwithstand 
ing  this  advantage,  however,  there  were  other  points  of 
inequality,  which  would  probably  have  a  tendency  to  ren 
der  his  success,  in  the  approaching  conflict,  exceedingly 
doubtful.  His  people  were  the  inhabitants  of  a  more  north 
ern  and  less  hospitable  region  than  their  enemies,  and 
were  far  from  being  rich  in  that  species  of  property, 
horses  and  arms,  which  constitutes  the  most  highly  prized 
wealth  of  a  western  Indian.  The  band  in  view  was 
mounted  to  a  man;  and  as  it  had  come  so  far  to  rescue,  or 
to  revenge,  their  greatest  partisan,  he  had  no  reason  to 
doubt  its  being  composed  entirely  of  braves.  On  the  other 
hand,  many  of  his  followers  were  far  better  in  a  hunt  than 
in  a  combat;  men  who  might  serve  to  divert  the  attention 
of  his  foes,  but  from  whom  he  could  expect  little  desper 
ate  service.  Still,  his  flashing  eye  glanced  over  a  body  of 
warriors  on  whom  he  had  often  relied,  and  who  had  never 
deceived  him;  and  though,  in  the  precise  position  in 
which  he  found  himself,  he  felt  no  disposition  to  precipi 
tate  the  conflict,  he  certainly  would  have  had  no  intention 
to  avoid  it,  had  not  the  presence  of  his  women  and 
children  placed  the  option  altogether  in  the  power  of  his 
adversaries. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Pawnees,  so  unexpectedly  suc 
cessful  in  their  first  and  greatest  object,  manifested  no 
intention  to  drive  matters  to  an  issue.  The  river  was  a 
dangerous  barrier  to  pass,  in  the  face  of  a  determined  foe, 
and  it  would  now  have  been  in  perfect  accordance  with 
their  cautious  policy,  to  have  retired  for  a  season,  in  order 
that  their  onset  might  be  made  in  the  hours  of  darkness, 
and  of  seeming  security.  But  there  was  a  spirit  in  their 
chief  that  elevated  him,  for  the  moment,  above  the  ordi 
nary  expedients  of  savage  warfare.  His  bosom  burned  with 
the  desire  to  wipe  out  that  disgrace  of  which  he  had  been 


372  THE   PRAIRIE 

the  subject;  and  it  is  possible  that  he  believed  the  retiring 
camp  of  the  Sioux  contained  a  prize  that  began  to  have  a 
value  in  his  eyes,  far  exceeding  any  that  would  be  found 
in  fifty  Teton  scalps.  Let  that  be  as  it  might,  Hard-Heart 
had  no  sooner  received  the  brief  congratulations  of  his 
band,  and  communicated  to  the  chiefs  such  facts  as  were 
important  to  be  known,  than  he  prepared  himself  to  act 
such  a  part  in  the  coming  conflict,  as  would  at  once  main 
tain  his  well  earned  reputation,  and  gratify  his  secret 
wishes.  A  led  horse,  one  that  had  been  long  trained  in 
the  hunts,  had  been  brought  to  receive  his  master,  with 
but  little  hope  that  his  services  would  ever  be  needed 
again  in  this  life.  With  a  delicacy  and  consideration  that 
proved  how  much  the  generous  qualities  of  the  youth  had 
touched  the  feelings  of  his  people,  a  bow,  a  lance,  and  a 
quiver,  were  thrown  across  the  animal,  which  it  had  been 
intended  to  immolate  on  the  grave  of  the  young  brave;  a 
species  of  care  that  would  have  superseded  the  necessity 
for  the  pious  duty  that  the  trapper  had  pledged  himself  to 
perform. 

Though  Hard-Heart  was  sensible  of  the  kindness  of  his 
warriors,  and  believed  that  a  chief,  furnished  with  such 
appointments,  might  depart  with  credit  for  the  distant 
hunting-grounds  of  the  Master  of  Life,  he  seemed  equally 
disposed  to  think  that  they  might  be  rendered  quite  as 
useful  in  the  actual  state  of  things.  His  countenance 
lighted  with  stern  pleasure,  as  he  tried  the  elasticity  of 
the  bow,  and  poised  the  well-balanced  spear.  The  glance 
he  bestowed  on  the  shield  was  more  cursory  and  indifferent; 
but  the  exultation  with  which  he  threw  himself  on  the 
back  of  his  favored  war-horse  was  so  great,  as  to  break 
through  the  forms  of  Indian  reserve.  He  rode  to  and  fro 
among  his  scarcely  less  delighted  warriors,  managing  the 
animal  with  a  grace  and  address  that  no  artificial  rules 
can  ever  supply;  at  times  flourishing  his  lance,  as  if  to 
assure  himself  of  his  seat,  and  at  others  examining  criti 
cally  into  the  condition  of  the  fusee,  with  which  he  had 
also  been  furnished,  with  the  fondness  of  one  who  was 
miraculously  restored  to  the  possession  of  treasures  that 
constituted  his  pride  and  his  happiness. 

At  this  particular  moment,  Mahtoree,  having  completed 


THE   PRAIRIE  373 

the  necessary  arrangements,  prepared  to  make  a  more 
decisive  movement.  The  Teton  had  found  no  little  em 
barrassment  in  disposing  of  his  captives.  The  tents  of 
the  squatter  were  still  in  sight,  and  his  wary  cunning  did 
not  fail  to  apprise  him,  that  it  was  quite  as  necessary  to 
guard  against  an  attack  from  that  quarter,  as  to  watch 
the  motions  of  his  more  open  and  more  active  foes.  His 
first  impulse  had  been  to  make  the  tomahawk  suffice  for  the 
men,  and  to  trust  the  females  under  the  same  protection 
as  the  women  of  his  band;  but  the  manner  in  which  many 
of  his  braves  continued  to  regard  the  imaginary  medicine 
of  the  Long-knives,  forewarned  him  of  the  danger  of  so 
hazardous  an  experiment  on  the  eve  of  a  battle.  It  might 
be  deemed  the  omen  of  defeat.  In  this  dilemma  he 
motioned  to  a  superannuated  warrior,  to  whom  he  had 
confided  the  charge  of  the  non-combatants,  and  leading 
him  apart,  he  placed  a  finger  significantly  on  his  shoulder, 
as  he  said,  in  a  tone  in  which  authority  was  tempered  by 
confidence : 

"When  my  young  men  are  striking  the  Pawnees,  give 
the  women  knives.  Enough;  my  father  is  very  old;  he 
does  not  want  to  hear  wisdom  from  a  boy." 

The  grim  old  savage  returned  a  look  of  ferocious  assent 
and  then  the  mind  of  the  chief  appeared  to  be  at  rest  in 
this  important  subject.  From  that  moment  he  bestowed 
all  his  care  on  the  achievement  of  his  revenge,  and  the 
maintenance  of  his  martial  character.  Throwing  himself 
on  his  horse,  he  made  a  sign,  with  the  air  of  a  prince  to 
his  followers,  to  imitate  his  example,  interrupting,  with 
out  ceremony,  the  war-songs  and  solemn  rites  by  which 
many  among  them  were  stimulating  their  spirits  to  deeds 
of  daring.  When  all  were  in  order,  the  whole  moved  with 
great  steadiness  and  silence  towards  the  margin  of  the 
river. 

The  hostile  bands  were  now  separated  by  the  water. 
The  width  of  the  stream  was  too  great  to  admit  of  the  use 
of  the  ordinary  Indian  missiles,  but  a  few  useless  shots 
were  exchanged  from  the  fusees  of  the  chiefs,  more  in 
bravado  than  with  any  expectation  of  doing  execution.  As 
some  time  was  suffered  to  elapse  in  demonstrations  and 
abortive  efforts,  we  shall  leave  them,  for  that  period,  to 


374  THE   PRAIRIE 

return  to  such  of  our  characters  as  remained  in  the  hands 
of  the  savages. 

We  have  shed  much  ink  in  vain,  and  wasted  quires,  that 
might  possibly  have  been  better  employed,  if  it  be  neces 
sary  now  to  tell  the  reader  that  few  of  the  foregoing  move 
ments  escaped  the  observation  of  the  experienced  trapper. 
He  had  been,  in  common  with  the  rest,  astonished  at  the 
sudden  act  of  Hard-Heart;  and  there  was  a  single  moment 
when  a  feeling  of  regret  and  mortification  got  the  better 
of  his  longings  to  save  the  life  of  the  youth.  The  simple 
and  well  intentioned  old  man  would  have  felt,  at  witness 
ing  any  failure  of  firmness  on  the  part  of  a  warrior  who 
had  so  strongly  excited  his  sympathies,  the  same  species 
of  sorrow  that  a  Christian  parent  would  suffer  in  hanging 
over  the  dying  moments  of  an  impious  child.  But  when, 
instead  of  an  impotent  and  unmanly  struggle  for  existence, 
he  found  that  his  friend  had  forborne,  with  the  customary 
and  dignified  submission  of  an  Indian  warrior,  until  an 
opportunity  had  offered  to  escape,  and  that  he  had  then 
manifested  the  spirit  and  decision  of  the  most  gifted 
brave,  his  gratification  became  nearly  too  powerful  to  be 
concealed.  In  the  midst  of  the  wailing  and  commotion 
which  succeeded  the  death  of  Weucha  and  the  escape  of 
the  captive,  he  placed  himself  nigh  the  persons  of  his 
white  associates,  with  a  determination  of  interfering,  at 
every  hazard,  should  the  fury  of  the  savages  take  that 
direction.  The  appearance  of  the  hostile  band  spared  him 
however,  so  desperate  and  probably  so  fruitless  an  effort, 
and  left  him  to  pursue  his  observations,  and  to  mature 
his  plans  more  at  leisure. 

He  particularly  remarked  that,  while  by  far  the  greater 
part  of  the  women  and  all  the  children,  together  with  the 
effects  of  the  party,  were  hurried  to  the  rear,  probably 
with  an  order  to  secrete  themselves  in  some  of  the  adjacent 
woods,  the  tent  of  Mahtoree  himself  was  left  standing, 
and  its  contents  undisturbed.  Two  chosen  horses,  how 
ever,  stood  near  by,  held  by  a  couple  of  youths,  who  were 
too  young  to  go  into  the  conflict,  and  yet  of  an  age  to  un 
derstand  the  management  of  the  beasts.  The  trapper 
perceived  in  this  arrangement  the  reluctance  of  Mahtoree 
to  trust  his  newly  found  "flowers"  beyond  the  reach  of 


THE   PRAIRIE  375 

his  eye;  and,  at  the  same  time,  his  forethought  in  provid 
ing  against  a  reverse  of  fortune.  Neither  had  the  manner 
of  the  Teton,  in  giving  his  commission  to  the  old  savage, 
nor  the  fierce  pleasure  with  which  the  latter  had  received 
the  bloody  charge,  escaped  his  observation.  From  all  these 
mysterious  movements,  the  old  man  was  aware  that  a 
crisis  was  at  hand,  and  he  summoned  the  utmost  knowledge 
he  had  acquired,  in  so  long  a  life,  to  aid  him  in  the  des 
perate  conjuncture.  While  musing  on  the  means  to  be 
employed,  the  Doctor  again  attracted  his  attention  to 
himself,  by  a  piteous  appeal  for  assistance.  "Venerable 
trapper,  or,  as  I  may  now  say,  liberator,"  commenced  the 
dolorous  Obed,  "it  would  seem  that  a  fitting  time  has  at 
length  arrived  to  dissever  the  unnatural  and  altogether 
irregular  connection  which  exists  between  my  inferior 
members  and  the  body  of  Asinus.  Perhaps  if  such  a  por 
tion  of  my  limbs  were  released  as  might  leave  me  master 
of  the  remainder,  and  this  favorable  opportunity  were 
suitably  improved,  by  making  a  forced  march  towards  the 
settlements,  all  hopes  of  preserving  the  treasures  of  knowl 
edge,  of  which  I  am  the  unworthy  receptacle,  would  not 
be  lost.  The  importance  of  the  results  is  surely  worth  the 
hazard  of  the  experiment." 

"I  know  not — I  know  not, "  returned  the  deliberate  old 
man;  "the  vermin  and  reptiles,  which  you  bear  about 
you,  were  intended  by  the  Lord  for  the  prairies,  and  I  see 
no  good  in  sending  them  into  regions  that  may  not  suit 
their  natur's.  And,  moreover,  you  may  be  of  great  and 
particular  use  as  you  now  sit  on  the  ass,  though  it  creates 
no  wonder  in  my  mind  to  perceive  that  you  are  ignorant 
of  it,  seeing  that  usefulness  is  altogether  a  new  calling  to 
so  bookish  a  man." 

"Of  what  service  can  I  be,  in  this  painful  thraldom, 
in  which  the  animal  functions  are  in  a  manner  suspended, 
and  the  spiritual  or  intellectual  blinded  by  the  secret 
sympathy  that  unites  mind  to  matter?  There  is  likely  to 
be  blood  spilt  between  yonder  adverse  hosts  of  heathens; 
and,  though  but  little  desiring  the  office,  it  would  be 
better  that  I  should  employ  myself  in  surgical  experi 
ments,  than  in  thus  wasting  the  precious  moments,  morti 
fying  both  soul  and  body." 


376  THE   PRAIRIE 

"It  is  little  that  a  red-skin  would  care  to  have  a  "phy 
sician  to  his  hurts,  while  the  whoop  is  ringing  in  his  ears. 
Patience  is  a  virtue  in  an  Indian,  and  can  be  no  shame  to 
a  Christian  white  man.  Look  at  these  hags  of  squaws, 
friend  Doctor;  I  have  no  judgment  in  savage  tempers,  if 
they  are  not  bloody-minded,  and  ready  to  work  their  ac 
cursed  pleasures  on  us  all.  Now,  so  long  as  you  keep  upon 
the  ass,  and  maintain  the  fierce  look  which  is  far  from 
being  your  natural  gift,  fear  of  so  great  a  medicine  may 
serve  to  keep  down  their  courage.  I  am  placed  here,  like 
a  general  at  the  opening  of  the  battle,  and  it  has  become 
my  duty  to  make  such  use  of  all  my  force  as,  in  my  judg 
ment,  each  is  best  fitted  to  perform.  If  I  know  these 
niceties,  you  will  be  more  serviceable  for  your  countenance 
just  now  than  in  any  more  stirring  exploits." 

"Harkee,  old  trapper,"  shouted  Paul,  whose  patience 
could  no  longer  maintain  itself  under  the  calculating  and 
prolix  explanations  of  the  other,  "suppose  you  cut  two 
things  I  can  name,  short  off.  That  is  to  say,  your  con 
versation,  which  is  agreeable  enough  over  a  well-baked 
buffalo's  hump,  and  these  damnable  thongs  of  hide,  which, 
according  to  my  experience,  can  be  pleasant  nowhere.  A 
single  stroke  of  your  knife  would  be  of  more  service,  just 
now,  than  the  longest  speech  that  was  ever  made  in  a 
Kentucky  courthouse." 

"Ay,  courthouses  are  the  'happy  hunting-grounds,'  as 
a  red-skin  would  say,  for  them  that  are  born  with  gifts  no 
better  than  such  as  lie  in  the  tongue.  I  was  carried  into 
one  of  the  lawless  holes  myself  once,  and  it  was  all  about' 
a  thing  of  no  more  value  than  the  skin  of  a  deer.  The 
Lord  forgive  them!— the  Lord  forgive  them!— they  knew 
no  better,  and  they  did  according  to  their  weak  judgments, 
and  therefore  the  more  are  they  to  be  pitied;  and  yet  it 
was  a  solemn  sight  to  see  an  aged  man,  who  had  always 
lived  in  the  air,  laid  neck  and  heels  by  the  law,  and  held 
up  as  a  spectacle  for  the  women  and  boys  of  a  wasteful 
settlement  to  point  their  fingers  at!" 

"If  such  be  your  opinions  of  confinement,  honest  friend 
you  had  better  manifest  the  same  by  putting  us  at  liberty 
with  as  little  delay  as  possible,"  said  Middleton,   who, 
like  his  companion,  began  to  find  the  tardiness  of  his  often- 


THE   PRAIRIE  377 

tried  companion  quite  as  extraordinary  as  it  was  dis 
agreeable. 

"I  should  greatly  like  to  do  the  same;  especially  in  your 
behalf,  captain,  who,  being  a  soldier,  might  find  not  only 
pleasure  but  profit  in  examining,  more  at  your  ease,  into 
the  circumventions  and  cunning  of  an  Indian  fight.  As  to 
our  friend,  here,  it  is  of  but  little  matter  how  much  of 
this  affair  he  examines,  or  how  little,  seeing  that  a  bee  is 
not  to  be  overcome  in  the  same  manner  as  an  Indian. ' ' 

"Old  man,  this  trifling  with  our  misery  is  inconsiderate, 
to  give  it  a  name  no  harsher — 

"Ay,  your  gran'ther  was  of  a  hot  and  hurrying  mind, 
and  one  must  not  expect  that  the  young  of  the  panther 
will  crawl  the  'arth  like  the  litter  of  a  porcupine.  Now 
keep  you  both  silent,  and  what  I  say  shall  have  the  appear 
ance  of  being  spoken  concerning  the  movements  that  are 
going  on  in  the  bottom;  all  of  which  will  serve  to  put  jeal 
ousy  to  sleep,  and  to  shut  the  eyes  of  such  as  rarely  close 
them  on  wickedness  and  cruelty.  In  the  first  place,  then, 
you  must  know  that  I  have  reason  to  think  yonder  treach 
erous  Teton  has  left  an  order  to  put  us  all  to  death,  so 
soon  as  he  thinks  the  deed  may  be  done  secretly,  and 
without  tumult. ' ' 

"Great  Heaven!  will  you  suffer  us  to  be  butchered  like 
unresisting  sheep?" 

"Hist,  captain,  hist?  a  hot  temper  is  none  of  the  best, 
when  cunning  is  more  needed  than  blows.  Ah,  the  Pawnee 
is  a  noble  boy!  it  would  do  your  heart  good  to  see  how 
he  draws  off  from  the  river,  in  order  to  invite  his  enemies 
to  cross;  and  yet,  according  to  my  failing  sight,  they  count 
two  warriors  to  his  one!  But  as  I  was  saying,  little  good 
comes  of  haste  and  thoughtlessness.  The  facts  are  so  plain 
that  any  child  may  see  their  wisdom.  The  savages  are  of 
many  minds  as  to  the  manner  of  our  treatment.  Some 
fear  us  for  our  color,  and  would  gladly  let  us  go,  and  other 
some  would  show  us  the  mercy  that  the  doe  receives  from 
the  hungry  wolf.  When  opposition  gets  fairly  into  the 
councils  of  a  tribe,  it  is  rare  that  humanity  is  the  gainer. 
Now  see  you  these  wrinkled  and  cruel  minded  squaws — no, 
you  cannot  see  them  as  you  lie,  but  nevertheless  they  are 
here,  ready  and  willing,  like  so  many  raging  she  bears,  to 


378  THE   PRAIRIE 

work  their  will  upon  us  so  soon  as  the  proper  time  shall 
come." 

"Harkee,  old  gentleman  trapper,"  interrupted  Paul, 
with  a  little  bitterness  in  his  manner;  "do  you  tell  us 
these  matters  for  our  amusement,  or  for  your  own?  If 
for  ours,  you  may  keep  your  breath  for  the  next  race  you 
run,  as  I  am  tickled  nearly  to  suffocation,  already,  with 
my  part  of  the  fun." 

"Hist!"  said  the  trapper,  cutting  with  great  dexterity 
and  rapidity  the  thong  which  bound  one  of  the  arms  of 
Paul  to  his  body,  and  dropping  his  knife  at  the  same  time 
within  reach  of  the  liberated  hand.  "Hist,  boy,  hist! 
that  was  a  lucky  moment !  The  yell  from  the  bottom  drew 
the  eyes  of  these  bloodsuckers  in  another  quarter,  and  so 
far  we  are  safe.  Now  make  a  proper  use  of  your  advan 
tages;  but  be  careful  that  what  you  do  is  done  without 
being  seen." 

"Thank  you  for  this  small  favor,  old  deliberation," 
muttered  the  bee-hunter,  "though  it  comes  like  a  snow  in 
May,  somewhat  out  of  season." 

"Foolish  boy!"  reproachfully  exclaimed  the  other,  who 
had  moved  to  a  little  distance  from  his  friends,  and  ap 
peared  to  be  attentively  regarding  the  movements  of  the 
hostile  parties,  "will  you  never  learn  to  know  the  wisdom 
of  patience?  And  you,  too,  captain;  though  a  man  myself 
that  seldom  ruffles  his  temper  by  vain  feelings,  I  see  that 
you  are  silent  because  you  scorn  to  ask  favors  any  longer 
from  one  you  think  too  slow  to  grant  them.  No  doubt  ye 
are  both  young,  and  filled  with  the  pride  of  your  strength 
and  manhood,  and  I  daresay  you  thought  it  only  needful 
to  cut  the  thongs  to  leave  you  masters  of  the  ground.  But 
he  that  has  seen  much  is  apt  to  think  much.  Had  I  run 
like  a  bustling  woman  to  have  given  you  freedom,  these 
hags  of  the  Sioux  would  have  seen  the  same,  and  then 
where  would  you  both  have  found  yourselves?  Under  the 
tomahawk  and  the  knife,  like  helpless  and  outcrying  chil 
dren,  though  gifted  with  the  size  and  beards  of  men.  Ask 
our  friend,  the  bee-hunter,  in  what  condition  he  finds 
himself  to  struggle  with  a  Teton  boy,  after  so  many  hours 
of  bondage;  much  less  with  a  dozen  merciless  and  blood 
thirsty  squaws!" 


THE   PRAIRIE  379 

"Truly,  old  trapper,"  returned  Paul,  stretching  his 
limbs,  which  were  by  this  time  entirely  released,  and 
endeavoring  to  restore  the  suspended  circulation,  "you 
have  some  judgmatical  notions  in  these  matters.  Now 
here  am  I,  Paul  Hover,  a  man  who  will  give  in  to  few  at 
wrestle  or  race,  nearly  as  helpless  as  the  day  I  paid  my  first 
visit  to  the  house  of  old  Paul,  who  is  dead  and  gone — the 
Lord  forgive  him  any  little  blunders  he  may  have  made 
while  he  tarried  in  Kentucky!  Now  there  is  my  foot  on 
the  ground,  so  far  as  eyesight  has  any  virtue,  and  yet  it 
would  take  no  great  temptation  to  make  me  swear  it  didn't 
touch  the  earth  by  six  inches.  I  say,  honest  friend,  since 
you  have  done  so  much,  have  the  goodness  to  keep  these 
damnable  squaws,  of  whom  you  say  so  many  interesting 
things,  at  a  little  distance,  till  I  have  got  the  blood  of  this 
arm  in  motion  and  am  ready  to  receive  them." 

The  trapper  made  a  sign  that  he  perfectly  understood 
the  case;  and  he  walked  towards  the  superannuated  sav 
age,  who  began  to  manifest  an  intention  of  commencing 
his  assigned  task,  leaving  the  bee-hunter  to  recover  the  use 
of  his  limbs  as  well  as  he  could,  and  to  put  Middleton  in 
a  similar  situation  to  defend  himself. 

Mahtoree  had  not  mistaken  his  man  in  selecting  the  one 
he  did  to  execute  his  bloody  purpose.  He  had  chosen  one 
of  those  ruthless  savages,  more  or  less  of  whom  are  to  be 
found  in  every  tribe,  who  had  purchased  a  certain  share 
of  military  reputation,  by  the  exhibition  of  a  hardihood 
that  found  its  impulses  in  an  innate  love  of  cruelty.  Con 
trary  to  the  high  and  chivalrous  sentiment  which  among 
the  Indians  of  the  prairies  renders  it  a  deed  of  even 
greater  merit  to  bear  off  the  trophy  of  victory  from  a 
fallen  foe  than  to  slay  him,  he  had  been  remarkable  for 
preferring  the  pleasure  of  destroying  life  to  the  glory  of 
striking  the  dead.  While  the  more  self-devoted  and  am 
bitious  braves  were  intent  on  personal  honor,  he  had 
always  been  seen,  established  behind  some  favorable  cover, 
depriving  the  wounded  of  hope,  by  finishing  that  which  a 
more  gallant  warrior  had  begun.  In  all  the  cruelties  of 
the  tribe  he  had  ever  been  foremost;  and  no  Sioux  was  so 
uniformly  found  on  the  side  of  merciless  counsels. 

He  had  awaited  with  an  impatience  which    his  long 


380  THE   PRAIRIE 

practised  restraint  could  with  difficulty  subdue,  for  the 
moment  to  arrive  when  he  might  proceed  to  execute  the 
wishes  of  the  great  chief,  without  whose  approbation  and 
powerful  protection  he  would  not  have  dared  to  undertake 
a  step  that  had  so  many  opposers  in  the  nation.  But 
events  had  been  hastening  to  an  issue  between  the  hostile 
parties;  and  the  time  had  now  arrived,  greatly  to  his' 
secret  and  malignant  joy,  when  he  was  free  to  act  his  will. 

The  trapper  found  him  distributing  knives  to  the 
ferocious  hags,  who  received  the  presents,  chanting  a  low 
monotonous  song,  that  recalled  the  losses  of  their  people 
in  various  conflicts  with  the  whites,  and  which  extolled 
the  pleasures  and  glory  of  revenge.  The  appearance  of 
such  a  group  was  enough  of  itself  to  have  deterred  one 
less  accustomed  to  such  sights  than  the  old  man,  from 
trusting  himself  within  the  circle  of  their  wild  and  repul 
sive  rites. 

Each  of  the  crones,  as  she  received  the  weapon,  com 
menced  a  slow  and  measured,  but  ungainly  step,  around 
the  savage,  until  the  whole  were  circling  him  in  a  sort  of 
magic  dance.  The  movements  were  timed,  in  some  degree, 
by  the  words  of  their  songs,  as  were  their  gestures  by  the 
ideas.  When  they  spoke  of  their  own  losses,  they  tossed 
their  long  straight  locks  of  gray  into  the  air,  or  suffered 
them  to  fall  in  confusion  upon  their  withered  necks;  but  as 
the  sweetness  of  returning  blow  for  blow  was  touched  upon, 
by  any  among  them,  it  was  answered  by  a  common  howl, 
as  well  as  by  gestures  that  were  sufficiently  expressive  of 
the  manner  in  which  they  were  exciting  themselves  to  the 
necessary  state  of  fury. 

Into  the  very  center  of  this  ring  of  seeming  demons  the 
trapper  now  stalked,  with  the  same  calmness  and  observa 
tion  as  he  would  have  walked  into  a  village  church.  No 
other  change  was  made  by  his  appearance  than  a  renewal 
of  the  threatening  gestures,  with,  if  possible,  a  still  less 
equivocal  display  of  their  remorseless  intentions.  Making 
a  sign  for  them  to  cease,  the  old  man  demanded : 

"Why  do  the  mothers  of  the  Tetons  sing  with  bitter 
tongues?  The  Pawnee  prisoners  are  not  yet  in  their  vil 
lage;  their  young  men  have  not  come  back  loaded  with 
scalps!" 


THE   PRAIRIE  381 

He  was  answered  by  a  general  howl,  and  a  few  of  the 
boldest  of  the  furies  even  ventured  to  approach  him,  flour 
ishing  their  knives  within  a  dangerous  proximity  of  his 
own  steady  eyeballs. 

"It  is  a  warrior  you  see,  and  no  runner  of  the  Long- 
knives,  whose  face  grows  pale  at  the  sight  of  a  tomahawk, ' ' 
returned  the  trapper,  without  moving  a  muscle.  "Let  the 
Sioux  women  think;  if  one  white-skin  dies,  a  hundred 
spring  up  where  he  falls. ' ' 

Still  the  hags  made  no  other  answer  than  by  increasing 
their  speed  in  the  circle,  and  occasionally  raising  the 
threatening  expressions  of  their  chant  into  louder  and 
more  intelligible  strains.  Suddenly  one  of  the  oldest  and 
the  most  ferocious  of  them  all,  broke  out  of  the  ring,  and 
skirred  away  in  the  direction  of  her  victims,  like  a  rapa 
cious  bird  that,  having  wheeled  on  poised  wings  for  the 
time  necessary  to  insure  its  object,  makes  the  final  dart 
upon  its  prey.  The  others  followed,  a  disorderly  and 
screaming  flock,  fearful  of  being  too  late  to  reap  their 
portion  of  the  sanguinary  pleasure. 

"Mighty  medicine  of  my  people!"  shouted  the  old  man, 
in  the  Teton  tongue;  "lift  your  voice  and  speak,  that  the 
Sioux  nation  may  hear." 

Whether  Asinus  had  acquired  so  much  knowledge  by 
his  recent  experience  as  to  know  the  value  of  his  sonorous 
properties,  or  the  strange  spectacle  of  a  dozen  hags  flitting 
past  him,  filling  the  air  with  such  sounds  as  were  even 
grating  to  the  ears  of  an  ass,  most  moved  his  temper,  it  is 
certain  that  the  animal  did  that  which  Obed  was  requested 
to  do,  and  probably  with  far  greater  effect  than  if  the 
naturalist  had  striven  with  his  mightiest  effort  to  be 
heard.  It  was  the  first  time  the  strange  beast  had  spoken, 
since  his  arrival  in  the  encampment.  Admonished  by  so 
terrible  a  warning,  the  hags  scattered  themselves  like 
vultures  frightened  from  their  prey,  still  screaming,  and 
but  half  diverted  from  their  purpose. 

In  the  meantime  the  sudden  appearance,  and  imminency 
of  the  danger,  quickened  the  blood  in  the  veins  of  Paul 
and  Middleton,  more  than  all  their  laborious  frictions  and 
physical  expedients.  The  former  had  actually  risen  to  his 
feet,  and  assumed  an  attitude  which  perhaps  threatened 


382  THE   PRAIRIE 

more  than  the  worthy  bee-hunter  was  able  to  perform, 
and  even  the  latter  had  mounted  to  his  knees,  and  shown 
a  disposition  to  do  good  service  for  his  life.  The  unac 
countable  release  of  the  captives  from  their  bonds  was 
attributed,  by  the  hags,  to  the  incantations  of  the  medi 
cine;  and  the  mistake  was  probably  of  as  much  service  as 
the  miraculous  and  timely  interposition  of  Asinus  in  their 
favor. 

"Now  is  the  time  to  come  out  of  our  ambushment, " 
exclaimed  the  old  man,  hastening  to  join  his  friends, 
"and  to  make  open  and  manful  war.  It  would  have  been 
policy  to  have  kept  back  the  struggle  until  the  captain  was 
in  better  condition  to  join,  but  as  we  have  unmasked  our 
battery,  why,  we  must  maintain  the  ground — 

He  was  interrupted  by  feeling  a  gigantic  hand  on  his 
shoulder.  Turning,  under  a  sort  of  confused  impression 
that  necromancy  was  actually  abroad  in  the  place,  he  found 
that  he  was  in  the  hands  of  a  sorcerer  no  less  dangerous 
and  powerful  than  Ishmael  Bush.  The  file  of  the  squatter's 
well-armed  sons,  that  was  seen  issuing  from  behind  the 
still  standing  tent  of  Mahtoree,  explained  at  once  not  only 
the  manner  in  which  their  rear  had  been  turned,  while 
their  attention  had  been  so  earnestly  bestowed  on  matters 
in  front,  but  the  utter  impossibility  of  resistance. 

Neither  Ishmael  nor  his  sons  deemed  it  necessary  to 
enter  into  prolix  explanations.  Middleton  and  Paul  were 
bound  again,  with  extraordinary  silence  and  despatch,  and 
this  time  not  even  the  aged  trapper  was  exempt  from  a 
similar  fortune.  The  tent  was  struck,  the  females  placed 
upon  the  horses,  and  the  whole  were  on  the  way  towards 
the  squatter's  encampment,  with  a  celerity  that  might 
well  have  served  to  keep  alive  the  idea  of  magic. 

During  this  summary  and  brief  disposition  of  things, 
the  disappointed  agent  of  Mahtoree  and  his  callous  asso 
ciates  were  seen  flying  across  the  plain,  in  the  direction 
of  the  retiring  families;  and  when  Ishmael  left  the  spot 
with  the  prisoners  and  his  booty,  the  ground,  which  had 
so  lately  been  alive  with  the  bustle  and  life  of  an  exten 
sive  Indian  encampment,  was  as  still  and  empty  as  any 
other  spot  in  those  extensive  wastes. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

"  Is  this  proceeding  just  and  honorable  ?  " 

— SHAKESPEARE. 

DURING  the  occurrence  of  these  events  on  the  upland 
plain,  the  warriors  on  the  bottom  had  not  been  idle.  We 
left  the  adverse  bands  watching  one  another  on  the  oppo 
site  banks  of  the  stream,  each  endeavoring  to  excite  its 
enemy  to  some  act  of  indiscretion,  by  the  most  reproach 
ful  taunts  and  re vi lings.  But  the  Pawnee  chief  was  not 
slow  to  discover  that  his  crafty  antagonist  had  no  objection 
to  waste  the  time  so  idly,  and,  as  they  mutually  proved, 
in  expedients  that  were  so  entirely  useless.  He  changed 
his  plans,  accordingly,  and  withdrew  from  the  bank,  as 
has  been  already  explained  through  the  mouth  of  the 
trapper,  in  order  to  invite  the  more  numerous  host  of  the 
Sioux  to  cross.  The  challenge  was  not  accepted,  and  the 
Loups  were  compelled  to  frame  some  other  method  to 
attain  their  end. 

Instead  of  any  longer  throwing  away  the  precious  mo 
ments  in  fruitless  endeavors  to  induce  his  foe  to  cross  the 
stream,  the  young  partisan  of  the  Pawnee  led  his  troops, 
at  a  swift  gallop,  along  its  margin,  in  quest  of  some  fav 
orable  spot,  where  by  a  sudden  push  he  might  throw  his 
own  band  without  loss  to  the  opposite  shore.  The  instant 
his  object  was  discovered,  each  mounted  Teton  received  a 
footman  behind  him,  and  Mahtoree  was  still  enabled  to 
concentrate  his  whole  force  against  the  effort.  Perceiving 
that  his  design  was  anticipated,  and  unwilling  to  blow  his 
horses  by  a  race  that  would  disqualify  them  for  service, 
even  after  they  had  succeeded  in  outstripping  the  more 
heavily-burdened  cattle  of  the  Sioux,  Hard-Heart  drew 
up,  and  came  to  a  dead  halt  on  the  very  margin  of  the 
water-course. 

As  the  country  was  too  open  for  any  of  the  usual  devices 
of  savage  warfare,  the  time  was  so  pressing,  the  chivalrous 

383 


384  THE   PRAIRIE 

Pawnee  resolved  to  bring  on  the  result  by  one  of  those 
acts  of  personal  daring  for  which  the  Indian  braves  are  so 
remarkable,  and  by  which  they  often  purchase  their  high 
est  and  dearest  renown.  The  spot  he  had  selected  was 
favorable  to  such  a  project.  The  river,  which  throughout 
most  of  its  course  was  deep  and  rapid,  had  expanded  there 
to  more  than  twice  its  customary  width,  and  the  rippling 
of  its  waters  proved  that  it  flowed  over  a  shallow  bottom. 
In  the  center  of  the  current  there  was  an  extensive  and 
naked  bed  of  sand,  but  a  little  raised  above  the  level  of 
the  stream,  and  of  a  color  and  consistency  which  war 
ranted,  to  a  practised  eye,  that  it  afforded  a  firm  and  safe 
foundation  for  the  foot.  To  this  spot  the  partisan  now 
turned  his  wistful  gaze,  nor  was  he  long  in  making  his 
decision.  First  speaking  to  his  warriors,  and  apprising 
them  of  his  intentions,  he  dashed  into  the  current,  and 
partly  by  swimming,  and  more  by  the  use  of  his  horse's 
feet,  he  reached  the  island  in  safety. 

The  experience  of  Hard-Heart  had  not  deceived  him. 
When  his  snorting  steed  issued  from  the  water,  he  found 
himself  on  a  tremendous  but  damp  and  compact  bed  of 
sand,  that  was  admirably  adapted  to  the  exhibition  of  the 
finest  powers  of  the  animal.  The  horse  seemed  conscious 
of  the  advantage,  and  bore  his  warlike  rider  with  an 
elasticity  of  step  and  a  loftiness  of  air  that  would  have 
done  no  discredit  to  the  highest  trained  and  most  gener 
ous  charger.  The  blood  of  the  chief  himself  quickened 
with  the  excitement  of  his  situation.  He  sat  the  beast  as 
if  conscious  that  the  eyes  of  two  tribes  were  on  his  move 
ments;  and  as  nothing  could  be  more  acceptable  and  grate 
ful  to  his  own  band  than  this  display  of  native  grace  and 
courage,  so  nothing  could  be  more  taunting  and  humiliat 
ing  to  their  enemies. 

The  sudden  appearance  of  the  Pawnee  on  the  sands  was 
announced  among  the  Tetons  by  a  general  yell  of  savage 
anger.  A  rush  was  made  to  the  shore,  followed  by  a  dis 
charge  of  fifty  arrows  and  a  few  fusees,  and  on  the  part 
of  several  braves  there  was  a  plain  manifestation  of  a 
desire  to  plunge  into  the  water  in  order  to  punish  the 
temerity  of  their  insolent  foe.  But  a  call  and  a  mandate 
from  Mahtoree,  checked  the  rising  and  nearly  ungovern- 


THE   PRAIRIE  385 

able  temper  of  his  band.  So  far  from  allowing  a  single 
foot  to  be  wet,  or  a  repetition  of  the  fruitless  efforts  of 
his  people  to  drive  away  their  foe  with  missiles,  the  whole 
of  the  party  was  commanded  to  retire  from  the  shore, 
while  he  himself  communicated  his  intentions  to  one  or 
two  of  his  most  favored  followers. 

When  the  Pawnees  observed  the  rush  of  their  enemies, 
twenty  warriors  rode  into  the  stream;  but  so  soon  as  they 
perceived  that  the  Tetons  had  withdrawn,  they  fell  back 
to  a  man,  leaving  the  young  chief  to  the  support  of  his 
own  often-tried  skill  and  well-established  courage.  The 
instructions  of  Hard-Heart,  on  quitting  his  band,  had  been 
worthy  of  the  self-devotion  and  daring  of  his  character. 
So  long  as  single  warriors  came  against  him  he  was  to  be 
left  to  the  keeping  of  the  Wahcondah  and  his  own  arm; 
but  should  the  Sioux  attack  him  in  numbers,  he  was  to  be 
sustained  man  for  man,  even  to  the  extent  of  his  whole 
force.  These  generous  orders  were  strictly  obeyed;  and 
though  so  many  hearts  in  the  troop  panted  to  share  in  the 
glory  and  danger  of  their  partisan,  not  a  warrior  was 
found  among  them  all,  who  did  not  know  how  to  conceal 
his  impatience  under  the  usual  mask  of  Indian  self- 
restraint.  They  watched  the  issue  with  quick  and  jealous 
eyes,  nor  did  a  single  exclamation  of  surprise  escape  them 
when  they  saw,  as  will  soon  be  apparent,  that  the  experi 
ment  of  their  chief  was  as  likely  to  conduce  to  peace  as  to 
war. 

Mahtoree  was  not  long  in  communicating  his  plans  to 
his  confidants,  whom  he  as  quickly  dismissed  to  join  their 
fellows  in  the  rear.  The  Teton  entered  a  short  distance 
into  the  stream  and  halted.  Here  he  raised  his  hands 
several  times,  with  the  palm  outwards,  and  made  several 
of  those  other  signs  which  are  construed  into  a  pledge  of 
amicable  intentions  among  the  inhabitants  of  those 
regions.  Then,  as  if  to  confirm  the  sincerity  of  his  faith, 
he  cast  his  fusee  to  the  shore  and  entered  deeper  into  the 
water,  where  he  again  came  to  a  stand  in  order  to  see 
in  what  manner  the  Pawnee  would  receive  his  pledge  of 
peace. 

The  crafty  Sioux  had  not  made  his  calculations  on  the 
noble  and  honest  nature  of  his  more  youthful  rival  in  vain. 
25 


386  THE   PRAIRIE 

Hard-Heart  had  continued  galloping  across  the  sands  dur 
ing  the  discharge  of  missiles  and  the  appearance  of  a  gen 
eral  onset,  with  the  same  proud  and  confident  mien  as  that 
with  which  he  had  first  braved  the  danger.  When  he 
saw  the  well-known  person  of  the  Teton  partisan  enter  the 
river,  he  waved  his  hand  in  triumph,  and  flourishing  his 
lance,  he  raised  the  thrilling  war-cry  of  his  people  as  a 
challenge  for  him  to  come  on.  But  when  he  saw  the  signs 
of  a  truce,  though  deeply  practised  in  the  treachery  of 
savage  combats,  he  disdained  to  show  a  less  manly  reliance 
on  himself  than  that  which  his  enemy  had  seen  fit  to 
exhibit.  Riding  to  the  farthest  extremity  of  the  sands  he 
cast  his  own  fusee  from  him,  and  returned  to  the  point 
whence  he  had  started.  The  two  chiefs  were  now  armed 
alike.  Each  had  his  spear,  his  bow,  his  quiver,  his  little 
battle-axe,  and  his  knife;  and  each  had  also  a  shield  of 
hides,  which  might  serve  as  a  means  of  defense  against  a 
surprise  from  any  of  these  weapons.  The  Sioux  no  longer 
hesitated,  but  advanced  deeper  into  the  stream,  and  soon 
landed  on  a  point  of  the  island  which  his  courteous  adver 
sary  had  left  free  for  that  purpose.  Had  one  been  there 
to  watch  the  countenance  of  Mahtoree  as  he  crossed  the 
water  that  separated  him  from  the  most  formidable  and 
the  most  hated  of  all  his  rivals,  he  might  have  fancied 
that  he  could  trace  the  gleamings  of  a  secret  joy  breaking 
through  the  cloud  which  deep  cunning  and  heartless  treach 
ery  had  drawn  before  his  swarthy  visage;  and  yet  there 
would  have  been  moments  when  he  might  have  believed 
that  the  flashings  of  the  Teton 's  eye,  and  the  expansion  of 
his  nostrils,  had  their  origin  in  a  nobler  sentiment,  and 
one  more  worthy  of  an  Indian  chief. 

The  Pawnee  awaited  the  time  of  his  enemy  with  calm 
ness  and  dignity.  The  Teton  made  a  short  turn  or  two  to 
curb  the  impatience  of  his  steed,  and  to  recover  his  seat 
after  the  effort  of  crossing,  and  then  he  rode  into  the 
center  of  the  place,  and  invited  the  other,  by  a  courteous 
gesture,  to  approach.  Hard-Heart  drew  nigh  until  he 
found  himself  at  a  distance  equally  suited  to  advance  or 
to  retreat,  and,  in  his  turn,  he  came  to  a  stand,  keeping 
his  glowing  eye  riveted  on  that  of  his  enemy.  A  long  and 
grave  pause  succeeded  this  movement,  during  which  these 


THE   PRAIRIE  387 

two  distinguished  braves,  who  were  now  for  the  first  time 
confronted  with  arms  in  their  hands,  sat  regarding  each 
other  like  warriors  who  knew  how  to  value  the  merits  of 
a  gallant  foe,  however  hated.  But  the  mien  of  Mahtoree 
was  far  less  stern  and  warlike  than  that  of  the  partisan  of 
the  Loups.  Throwing  his  shield  over  his  shoulder,  as  if 
to  invite  the  confidence  of  the  other,  he  made  a  gesture  of 
salutation,  and  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"Let  the  Pawnees  go  upon  the  hills,"  he  said,  "and 
look  from  the  morning  to  the  evening  sun,  from  the  coun 
try  of  snows  to  the  land  of  many  flowers,  and  they  will 
see  that  the  earth  is  very  large.  Why  cannot  the  red-men 
find  room  on  it  for  all  their  villages?" 

"Has  the  Teton  ever  known  a  warrior  of  the  Loups 
come  to  his  towns  to  beg  a  place  for  his  lodge?"  returned 
the  young  brave,  with  a  look  in  which  pride  and  contempt 
were  not  attempted  to  be  concealed;  "when  the  Pawnees 
hunt,  do  they  send  runners  to  ask  Mahtoree  if  there  are 
no  Sioux  on  the  prairies?" 

"When  there  is  hunger  in  the  lodge  of  a  warrior,  he 
looks  for  the  buffalo,  which  is  given  him  for  food,"  the 
Teton  continued,  struggling  to  keep  down  the  ire  excited 
by  the  other's  scorn.  "The  Wahcondah  has  made  more 
of  them  than  He  has  made  Indians.  He  has  not  said: 
This  buffalo  shall  be  for  a  Pawnee,  and  that  for  a  Dah- 
cotah;  this  beaver  for  a  Konza,  and  that  for  an  Omahaw. 
No;  He  said,  There  are  enough.  I  love  my  red  children, 
and  I  have  given  them  great  riches.  The  swiftest  horse 
shall  not  go  from  the  village  of  the  Tetons  to  the  village 
of  the  Loups  in  many  suns.  It  is  far  from  the  towns  of 
the  Pawnees  to  the  river  of  the  Osages.  There  is  room 
for  all  that  I  love.  Why  then  should  a  red  man  strike  his 
brother?" 

Hard-Heart  dropped  one  end  of  his  lance  to  the  earth, 
and  having  also  cast  his  shield  across  his  shoulder,  he  sat 
leaning  lightly  on  the  weapon,  as  he  answered  with  a 
smile  of  no  doubtful  expression: 

"Are  the  Tetons  weary  of  the  hunts  and  of  the  war 
path?  Do  they  wish  to  cook  the  venison,  and  not  to  kill 
it?  Do  they  intend  to  let  the  hair  cover  their  heads,  that 
their  enemies  shall  not  know  where  to  find  their  scalps? 


388  THE   PRAIRIE 

Go;  a  Pawnee  warrior  will  never  come  among  such  Sioux 
squaws  for  a  wife!" 

A  frightful  gleam  of  ferocity  broke  out  of  the  restraint 
of  the  Dahcotah's  countenance,  as  he  listened  to  this  bit 
ing  insult;  but  he  was  quick  in  subduing  the  tell-tale 
feeling,  in  an  expression  much  better  suited  to  his  present 
purpose. 

"This  is  the  way  a  young  chief  should  talk  of  war,"  he 
answered  with  singular  composure;  "but  Mahtoree  has 
seen  the  misery  of  more  winters  than  his  brother.  When 
the  nights  have  been  long,  and  darkness  has  been  in  his 
lodge,  while  the  young  men  slept,  he  has  thought  of  the 
hardships  of  his  people.  He  has  said  to  himself,  Teton, 
count  the  scalps  in  your  smoke.  They  are  all  red  but  two! 
Does  the  wolf  destroy  the  wolf,  or  the  rattler  strike  his 
brother?  You  know  they  do  not;  therefore,  Teton,  are 
you  wrong  to  go  on  a  path  that  leads  to  the  village  of  a 
red-skin,  with  a  tomahawk  in  your  hand." 

"The  Sioux  would  rob  the  warrior  of  his  fame!  He 
would  say  to  his  young  men,  Go,  dig  roots  in  the  prairies, 
and  find  holes  to  bury  your  tomahawks  in;  you  are  no 
longer  braves!" 

"If  the  tongue  of  Mahtoree  ever  says  thus,"  returned 
the  crafty  chief,  with  an  appearance  of  strong  indignation, 
"let  his  women  cut  it  out,  and  burn  it  with  the  offals  of 
the  buffalo.  No,"  he  added,  advancing  a  few  feet  nigher 
to  the  immovable  Hard-Heart,  as  if  in  the  sincerity  of 
confidence;  "the  red-man  can  never  want  an  enemy;  they 
are  plentier  than  the  leaves  on  the  trees,  the  birds  in  the 
heavens,  or  the  buffaloes  on  the  prairies.  Let  my  brother 
open  his  eyes  wide;  does  he  nowhere  see  an  enemy  he 
would  strike?" 

"How  long  is  it  since  the  Teton  counted  the  scalps  of 
his  warriors,  that  were  drying  in  the  smoke  of  a  Pawnee 
lodge?  The  hand  that  took  them  is  here,  and  ready  to 
make  eighteen,  twenty." 

"Now,  let  not  the  mind  of  my  brother  go  on  a  crooked 
path.  If  a  red-skin  strikes  a  red-skin  forever,  who  will 
be  masters  of  the  prairies,  when  no  warriors  are  left  to 
say  'They  are  mine?'  Hear  the  voices  of  the  old  men. 
They  tell  us  that  in  their  days  many  Indians  have  come  out 


THE   PRAIRIE  389 

of  the  woods  under  the  rising  sun,  and  that  they  have 
filled  the  prairies  with  their  complaints  of  the  robberies 
of  the  Long-knives.  Where  a  pale  face  comes,  a  red-man 
cannot  stay.  The  land  is  too  small.  They  are  always 
hungry.  See,  they  are  here  already!" 

As  the  Teton  spoke,  he  pointed  towards  the  tents  of 
Ishmael,  which  were  in  plain  sight,  and  then  he  paused, 
to  await  the  effect  of  his  words  on  the  mind  of  his  ingenu 
ous  foe.  Hard-Heart  listened  like  one  in  whom  a  train 
of  novel  ideas  had  been  excited  by  the  reasoning  of  the 
other.  He  mused  for  a  minute  before  he  demanded : 

"What  do  the  wise  chiefs  of  the  Sioux  say  must  be 
done?" 

"They  think  that  the  moccasin  of  every  pale  face  should 
be  followed,  like  the  track  of  the  bear.  That  the  Long- 
knife,  who  comes  upon  the  prairie,  should  never  go  back. 
That  the  path  shall  be  open  to  those  who  come,  and  shut 
to  those  who  go.  Yonder  are  many.  They  have  horses 
and  guns.  They  are  rich,  but  we  are  poor.  Will  the 
Pawnees  meet  the  Tetons  in  council?  and  when  the  sun  is 
gone  behind  the  Rocky  Mountains,  they  will  say,  This  is 
for  a  Loup  and  this  for  a  Sioux." 

'  'Teton — no !  Hard-Heart  has  never  struck  the  stranger. 
They  come  into  his  lodge  and  eat,  and  they  go  out  in 
safety.  A  mighty  chief  is  their  friend!  When  my  people 
call  the  young  men  to  go  on  the  war-path,  the  moccasin 
of  Hard-Heart  is  the  last.  But  his  village  is  no  sooner  hid 
by  the  trees,  than  it  is  the  first.  No,  Teton;  his  arm  will 
never  be  lifted  against  the  stranger." 

"Fool;  die,  with  empty  hands!"  Mahtoree  exclaimed, 
setting  an  arrow  to  his  bow,  and  sending  it,  with  a  sudden 
and  deadly  aim,  full  at  the  naked  bosom  of  his  generous 
and  confiding  enemy. 

The  action  of  the  treacherous  Teton  was  too  quick,  and 
too  well  matured,  to  admit  of  any  of  the  ordinary  means 
of  defense  on  the  part  of  the  Pawnee.  His  shield  was 
hanging  at  his  shoulder,  and  even  the  arrow  had  been 
suffered  to  fall  from  its  place,  and  lay  in  the  hollow  of  the 
hand  which  grasped  his  bow.  But  the  quick  eye  of  the 
brave  had  time  to  see  the  movement,  and  his  ready 
thoughts  did  not  desert  him.  Pulling  hard  and  with  a 


39".  THE   PRAIRIE 

jerk  upon  the  rein,  his  steed  reared  his  forward  legs  into 
the  air,  and  as  the  rider  bent  his  body  low,  the  horse 
served  for  a  shield  against  the  danger.  So  true,  however, 
was  the  aim,  and  so  powerful  the  force  by  which  it  was 
sent,  that  the  arrow  entered  the  neck  of  the  animal,  and 
broke  the  skin  on  the  opposite  side. 

Quicker  than  thought  Hard-Heart  sent  back  an  answer 
ing  arrow.  The  shield  of  the  Teton  was  transfixed,  but  his 
person  was  untouched.  For  a  few  moments  the  twang  of 
the  bow  and  the  glancing  of  arrows  were  incessant,  not 
withstanding  the  combatants  were  compelled  to  give  so 
large  a  portion  of  their  care  to  the  means  of  defense.  The 
quivers  were  soon  exhausted;  and  though  blood  had  been 
drawn,  it  was  not  in  sufficient  quantities  to  impair  the 
energy  of  the  combat. 

A  series  of  masterly  and  rapid  evolutions  with  the  horses 
now  commenced.  The  wheelings,  the  charges,  the  advances, 
and  the  circuitous  retreats,  were  like  the  flights  of  circling 
swallows.  Blows  were  struck  with  the  lance,  the  sand  was 
scattered  in  the  air,  and  the  shocks  often  seemed  to  be 
unavoidably  fatal;  but  still  each  party  kept  his  seat,  and 
still  each  rein  was  managed  with  a  steady  hand.  At  length 
the  Teton  was  driven  to  the  necessity  of  throwing  himself 
from  his  horse,  to  escape  a  thrust  that  would  otherwise 
have  proved  fatal.  The  Pawnee  passed  his  lance  through 
the  beast,  uttering  a  shout  of  triumph  as  he  galloped  by. 
Turning  in  his  tracks,  he  was  about  to  push  the  advantage, 
when  his  own  mettled  steed  staggered  and  fell,  under  a 
burden  that  he  could  no  longer  sustain.  Mahtoree  an 
swered  his  premature  cry  of  victory,  and  rushed  upon  the 
entangled  youth  with  knife  and  tomahawk.  The  utmost 
agility  of  Hard-Heart  had  not  sufficed  to  extricate  himself 
in  season  from  the  fallen  beast.  He  saw  that  his  case 
was  desperate.  Feeling  for  his  knife,  he  took  the  blade 
between  a  finger  and  thumb,  and  cast  it  with  admirable 
coolness  at  his  advancing  foe.  The  keen  weapon  whirled 
a  few  times  in  the  air,  and  its  point  meeting  the  naked 
breast  of  the  impetuous  Sioux,  the  blade  was  buried  to 
the  buck-horn  haft. 

Mahtoree  laid  his  hand  on  the  weapon,  and  seemed  to 
hesitate  whether  to  withdraw  it  or  not.  For  a  moment 


THE   PRAIRIE  391 

his  countenance  darkened  with  the  most  inextinguishable 
hatred  and  ferocity,  and  then,  as  if  inwardly  admonished 
how  little  time  he  had  to  lose,  he  staggered  to  the  edge  of 
the  sands,  and  halted  with  his  feet  in  the  water.  The 
cunning  and  duplicity  which  had  so  long  obscured  the 
brighter  and  nobler  traits  of  his  character,  were  lost  in 
the  never  dying  sentiment  of  pride,  which  he  had  imbibed 
in  youth. 

"Boy  of  the  Loups!"  he  said,  with  a  smile  of  grim  sat 
isfaction,  "the  scalp  of  a  mighty  Dahcotah  shall  never  dry 
in  Pawnee  smoke!" 

Drawing  the  knife  from  the  wound,  he  hurled  it  towards 
the  enemy  in  disdain.  Then  shaking  his  arm  at  his  suc 
cessful  foe,  his  swarthy  countenance  appearing  to  struggle 
with  volumes  of  scorn  and  hatred,  that  he  could  not  utter 
with  the  tongue,  he  cast  himself  headlong  into  one  of  the 
most  rapid  veins  of  the  current,  his  hand  still  waving  in 
triumph  above  the  fluid,  even  after  his  body  had  sunk  into 
the  tide  forever.  Hard-Heart  was  by  this  time  free.  The 
silence,  which  had  hitherto  reigned  in  the  bands,  was  sud 
denly  broken  by  general  and  tumultuous  shouts.  Fifty  of 
the  adverse  warriors  were  already  in  the  river,  hastening 
to  destroy  or  to  defend  the  conqueror,  and  the  combat  was 
rather  on  the  eve  of  its  commencement  than  near  its  ter 
mination.  But  to  all  these  signs  of  danger  and  need,  the 
young  victor  was  insensible.  He  sprang  for  the  knife,  and 
bounded  with  the  foot  of  an  antelope  along  the  sands, 
looking  for  the  receding  fluid  which  concealed  his  prize. 
A  dark,  bloody  spot  indicated  the  place,  and,  armed  with 
the  knife,  he  plunged  into  the  stream,  resolute  to  die  in 
the  flood,  or  to  return  with  his  trophy. 

In  the  meantime,  the  sands  became  a  scene  of  bloodshed 
and  violence.  Better  mounted  and  perhaps  more  ardent, 
the  Pawnees  had,  however,  reached  the  spot  in  sufficient 
numbers  to  force  their  enemies  to  retire.  The  victors 
pushed  their  success  to  the  opposite  shore,  and  gained  the 
solid  ground  in  the  melee  of  the  fight.  Here  they  were 
met  by  all  the  unmounted  Tetons,  and,  in  their  turn,  they 
were  forced  to  give  way. 

The  combat  now  became  more  characteristic  and  cir 
cumspect.  As  the  hot  impulses  which  had  driven  both 


392  THE   PRAIRIE 

parties  to  mingle  in  so  deadly  a  struggle,  began  to  cool, 
the  chiefs  were  enabled  to  exercise  their  influence,  and  to 
temper  the  assaults  with  prudence.  In  consequence  of 
the  admonitions  of  their  leaders,  the  Sioux  sought  such 
covers  as  the  grass  afforded,  or  here  and  there  some  bush 
or  slight  inequality  of  the  ground,  and  the  charges  of  the 
Pawnee  warriors  necessarily  became  more  wary,  and  of 
course  less  fatal. 

In  this  manner  the  contest  continued  with  a  varied  suc 
cess,  and  without  much  loss.  The  Sioux  had  succeeded  in 
forcing  themselves  into  a  thick  growth  of  rank  grass, 
where  the  horses  of  their  enemies  could  not  enter,  or 
where,  when  entered,  they  were  worse  than  useless.  It 
became  necessary  to  dislodge  the  Tetons  from  this  cover, 
or  the  object  of  the  combat  must  be  abandoned.  Several 
desperate  efforts  had  been  repulsed,  and  the  disheartened 
Pawnees  were  beginning  to  think  of  a  retreat,  when  the 
well-known  war-cry  of  Hard-Heart  was  heard  at  hand, 
and  at  the  next  instant  the  chief  appeared  in  their  center, 
flourishing  the  scalp  of  the  Great  Sioux,  as  a  banner  that 
would  lead  to  victory. 

He  was  greeted  by  a  shout  of  delight,  and  followed  into 
the  cover  with  an  impetuosity  that,  for  the  moment,  drove 
all  before  it.  But  the  bloody  trophy  in  the  hand  of  the 
partisan  served  as  an  incentive  to  the  attacked,  as  well  as 
to  the  assailants.  Mahtoree  had  left  many  a  daring  brave 
behind  him  in  his  band,  and  the  orator  who  in  the  debates 
of  that  day  had  manifested  such  pacific  thoughts,  now  ex 
hibited  the  most  generous  self -devotion,  in  order  to  wrest 
the  memorial  of  a  man  he  had  never  loved  from  the  hands 
of  the  avowed  enemies  of  his  people. 

The  result  was  in  favor  of  numbers.  After  a  severe 
struggle,  in  which  the  finest  displays  of  intrepidity  were 
exhibited  by  the  chiefs,  the  Pawnees  were  compelled  to 
retire  upon  the  open  bottom,  closely  pressed  by  the  Sioux, 
who  failed  not  to  seize  each  foot  of  the  ground  ceded  by 
their  enemies.  Had  the  Tetons  stayed  their  efforts  on  the 
margin  of  the  grass,  it  is  probable  that  the  honor  of  the 
day  would  have  been  theirs,  notwithstanding  the  irretriev 
able  loss  they  had  sustained  in  the  death  of  Mahtoree. 
But  the  more  reckless  braves  of  the  band  were  guilty  of 


THE   PRAIRIE  393 

an  indiscretion  that  entirely  changed  the  fortunes  of  the 
flight,  and  suddenly  stripped  them  of  their  hard-earned 
advantages. 

A  Pawnee  chief  had  sunk  under  the  numerous  wounds 
he  had  received,  and  he  fell,  a  target  for  a  dozen  arrows, 
in  the  very  last  group  of  his  retiring  party.  Regardless 
alike  of  inflicting  further  injury  on  their  foes,  and  of  the 
temerity  of  the  act,  the  Sioux  braves  bounded  forward 
with  a  whoop,  each  man  burning  with  a  wish  to  reap  the 
high  renown  of  striking  the  body  of  the  dead.  They  were 
met  by  Hard-Heart  and  a  chosen  knot  of  warriors,  all  of 
whom  were  just  as  stoutly  bent  on  saving  the  honor  of 
their  nation  from  so  foul  a  stain.  The  struggle  was  hand 
to  hand,  and  blood  began  to  flow  more  freely.  As  the 
Pawnees  retired  with  the  body,  the  Sioux  pressed  upon 
their  footsteps,  and  at  length  the  whole  of  the  latter  broke 
out  of  the  cover  with  a  common  yell,  and  threatened  to 
bear  down  all  opposition  by  sheer  physical  superiority. 

The  fate  of  Hard-Heart  and  his  companions,  all  of  whom 
would  have  died  rather  than  relinquish  their  object,  would 
have  been  quickly  sealed,  but  for  a  powerful  and  unlocked 
for  interposition  in  their  favor.  A  shout  was  heard  from 
a  little  brake  on  the  left,  and  a  volley  from  the  fatal 
western  rifle  immediately  succeeded.  Some  five  or  six 
Sioux  leaped  forward  in  the  death  agony,  and  every  arm 
among  them  was  as  suddenly  suspended,  as  if  the  lightning 
had  flashed  from  the  clouds  to  aid  the  cause  of  the  Loups. 

Then  came  Ishmael  and  his  stout  sons  in  open  view, 
bearing  down  upon  their  late  treacherous  allies,  with  looks 
and  voices  that  proclaimed  the  character  of  the  succor. 

The  shock  was  too  much  for  the  fortitude  of  the  Tetons. 
Several  of  their  bravest  chiefs  had  already  fallen,  and 
those  that  remained  were  instantly  abandoned  by  the 
whole  of  the  inferior  herd.  A  few  of  the  most  desperate 
braves  still  lingered  nigh  the  fatal  symbol  of  their  honor, 
and  there  nobly  met  their  deaths,  under  the  blows  of  the 
reencouraged  Pawnees.  A  second  discharge  from  the 
rifles  of  the  squatter  and  his  party  completed  the  victory. 

The  Sioux  were  now  to  be  seen  flying  to  more  distant 
covers,  with  the  same  eagerness  and  desperation,  as,  a  few 
moments  before,  they  had  been  plunging  into  the  fight. 


394  THE   PRAIRIE 

The  triumphant  Pawnees  bounded  forward  in  chase,  like 
so  many  high-blooded  and  well-trained  hounds.  On  every 
side  were  heard  the  cries  of  victory,  or  the  yell  of  re 
venge.  A  few  of  the  fugitives  endeavored  to  bear  away 
the  bodies  of  their  fallen  warriors,  but  the  hot  pursuit 
quickly  compelled  them  to  abandon  the  slain,  in  order  to 
preserve  the  living.  Among  all  the  struggles  which  were 
made  on  that  occasion,  to  guard  the  honor  of  the  Sioux 
from  the  stain  which  their  peculiar  opinions  attached  to 
the  possession  of  the  scalp  of  a  fallen  brave,  but  one  soli 
tary  instance  of  success  occurred. 

The  opposition  of  a  particular  chief  to  the  hostile  pro 
ceedings  in  the  councils  of  that  morning  has  been  already 
seen.  But,  after  having  raised  his  voice  in  vain,  in  sup 
port  of  peace,  his  arm  was  not  backward  in  doing  its  duty 
in  the  war.  His  prowess  has  been  mentioned;  and  it  was 
chiefly  by  his  courage  and  example,  that  the  Tetons  sus 
tained  themselves  in  the  heroic  manner  they  did,  when  the 
death  of  Mahtoree  was  known.  This  warrior,  who,  in  the 
figurative  language  of  his  people,  was  called  the  "Swoop 
ing  Eagle,"  had  been  the  last  to  abandon  the  hopes  of 
victory.  When  he  found  that  the  support  of  the  dreaded 
rifle  had  robbed  his  band  of  their  hard-earned  advantages, 
he  sullenly  retired,  amid  a  shower  of  missiles,  to  the  secret 
spot  where  he  had  hid  his  horse,  in  the  mazes  of  the  high 
est  grass.  Here  he  found  a  new  and  an  entirely  unex 
pected  competitor,  ready  to  dispute  with  him  for  the 
possession  of  the  beast.  It  was  Bohrecheena,  the  aged 
friend  of  Mahtoree;  he  whose  voice  had  been  given  in 
opposition  to  his  own  wiser  opinions,  transfixed  with  an 
arrow,  and  evidently  suffering  under  the  pangs  of  ap 
proaching  death. 

"I  have  been  on  my  last  war-path,"  said  the  grim  old 
warrior,  when  he  found  that  the  real  owner  of  the  animal 
had  come  to  claim  his  property;  "shall  a  Pawnee  carry 
the  white  hairs  of  a  Sioux  into  his  village,  to  be  a  scorn  to 
his  women  and  children?" 

The  other  grasped  his  hand,  answering  to  the  appeal 
with  a  stern  look  of  inflexible  resolution.  With  this  silent 
pledge,  he  assisted  the  wounded  man  to  mount.  So  soon 
as  he  had  led  the  horse  to  the  margin  of  the  cover,  he 


THE   PRAIRIE  395 

threw  himself  also  on  its  back,  and  securing  his  companion 
to  his  belt,  he  issued  on  the  open  plain,  trusting  entirely 
to  the  well-known  speed  of  the  beast  for  their  mutual 
safety.  The  Pawnees  were  not  long  in  catching  a  view  of 
these  new  objects,  and  several  turned  their  steeds  to  pur 
sue.  The  race  continued  for  a  mile,  without  a  murmur 
from  the  sufferer,  though,  in  addition  to  the  agony  of  his 
body,  he  had  the  pain  of  seeing  his  enemies  approach  at 
every  leap  of  their  horses. 

"Stop,"  he  said,  raising  a  feeble  arm  to  check  the  speed 
of  his  companion;  "the  Eagle  of  my  tribe  must  spread 
his  wings  wider.  Let  him  carry  the  white  hairs  of  an  old 
warrior  into  the  burnt-wood  village!" 

Few  words  were  necessary  between  men  who  were  gov 
erned  by  the  same  feelings  of  glory,  and  who  were  so  well 
trained  in  the  principles  of  their  romantic  honor.  The 
Swooping  Eagle  threw  himself  from  the  back  of  the  horse, 
and  assisted  the  other  to  alight.  The  old  man  raised  his 
tottering  frame  to  its  knees,  and  first  casting  a  glance 
upwards  at  the  countenance  of  his  countryman,  as  if  to 
bid  him  adieu,  he  streched  out  his  neck  to  the  blow  he 
himself  invited.  A  few  strokes  of  the  tomahawk,  with  a 
circling  gash  of  the  knife,  sufficed  to  sever  the  head  from 
the  less  valued  trunk.  The  Teton  mounted  again,  just  in 
season  to  escape  a  flight  of  arrows  which  came  from  his 
eager  and  disappointed  pursuers.  Flourishing  the  grim 
and  bloody  visage,  he  darted  away  from  the  spot  with  a 
shout  of  triumph,  and  was  seen  scouring  the  plains,  as  if 
he  were  actually  borne  along  on  the  wings  of  the  powerful 
bird  from  whose  qualities  he  had  received  his  flattering 
name.  The  Swooping  Eagle  reached  his  village  in  safety. 
He  was  one  of  the  few  Sioux  who  escaped  from  the  mas 
sacre  of  that  fatal  day;  and  for  a  long  time  he  alone  of 
the  saved  was  able  to  lift  his  voice,  in  the  councils  of  his 
nation,  with  undiminished  confidence. 

The  knife  and  the  lance  cut  short  the  retreat  of  the 
larger  portion  of  the  vanquished.  Even  the  retiring  party 
of  the  women  and  children  were  scattered  by  the  con 
querors;  and  the  sun  had  long  sunk  behind  the  rolling 
outline  of  the  western  horizon,  before  the  fell  business  of 
that  disastrous  defeat  was  entirely  ended. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

"Which  is  the  merchant  here,  and  which  the  Jew?" 

—MERCHANT  OF  VENICE. 

THE  day  dawned,  the  following  morning,  on  a  more 
tranquil  scene.  The  work  of  blood  had  entirely  ceased; 
and  as  the  sun  arose,  its  light  was  shed  on  a  broad  ex 
panse  of  quiet  and  solitude.  The  tents  of  Ishmael  were 
still  standing  where  they  had  been  last  seen,  but  not 
another  vestige  of  human  existence  could  be  traced  in  any 
other  part  of  the  waste.  Here  and  there  little  flocks  of 
ravenous  birds  were  sailing  and  screaming  above  those 
spots  where  some  heavy-footed  Teton  had  met  his  death, 
but  every  other  sign  of  the  recent  combat  had  passed 
away.  The  river  was  to  be  traced  far  through  the  end 
less  meadows,  by  its  serpentine  and  smoking  bed;  and  the 
little  silvery  clouds  of  vapor,  which  hung  above  the  pools 
and  springs,  were  beginning  to  melt  in  air,  as  they  felt 
the  quickening  warmth,  which,  pouring  from  the  glowing 
sky,  shed  its  bland  and  subtle  influence  on  every  object  of 
the  vast  and  unshadowed  region.  The  prairie  was  like  the 
heavens  after  the  passage  of  the  gust,  soft,  calm,  and 
soothing. 

It  was  in  the  midst  of  such  a  scene  that  the  family  of 
the  squatter  assembled  to  make  their  final  decision,  con 
cerning  the  several  individuals  who  had  been  thrown  into 
their  power  by  the  fluctuating  chances  of  the  incidents 
related.  Every  being  possessing  life  and  liberty  had  been 
afoot,  since  the  first  streak  of  gray  had  lighted  the  east; 
and  even  the  youngest  of  the  erratic  brood  seemed  con 
scious  that  the  moment  had  arrived,  when  circumstances 
were  about  to  occur  that  might  leave  a  lasting  impression 
on  the  wild  fortunes  of  their  semi -barbarous  condition. 

Ishmael  moved  through  his  little  encampment,  with  the 
seriousness  of  one  who  had  been  unexpectedly  charged 
with  matters  of  a  gravity  exceeding  any  of  the  ordinary 

396 


THE  PRAIRIE  397 

occurrences  of  his  irregular  existence.  His  sons,  however, 
who  had  so  often  found  occasions  to  prove  the  inexorable 
severity  of  their  father's  character,  saw,  in  his  sullen  mien 
and  cold  eye,  rather  a  determination  to  adhere  to  his  reso 
lutions,  which  usually  were  as  obstinately  enforced  as 
they  were  harshly  conceived,  than  any  evidences  of  waver 
ing  or  doubt.  Even  Esther  was  sensibly  affected  by  the 
important  matters  that  pressed  so  heavily  on  the  interests 
of  her  family.  While  she  neglected  none  of  those  domes 
tic  offices  which  would  probably  have  proceeded  under  any 
conceivable  circumstances,  just  as  the  world  turns  round 
with  earthquakes  rending  its  crust  and  volcanoes  consum 
ing  its  vitals,  yet  her  voice  was  pitched  to  a  lower  and 
more  foreboding  key  than  common,  and  the  still  frequent 
chidings  of  her  children  were  tempered  by  something  like 
the  milder  dignity  of  parental  authority. 

Abiram,  as  usual,  seemed  the  one  most  given  to  solici 
tude  and  doubt.  There  were  certain  misgivings,  in  the 
frequent  glances  that  he  turned  on  the  unyielding  coun 
tenance  of  Ishmael,  which  might  have  betrayed  how  little 
of  their  former  confidence  and  good  understanding  existed 
between  them.  His  looks  appeared  to  be  vacillating  be 
tween  hope  and  fear.  At  times,  his  countenance  lighted 
with  the  gleamings  of  a  sordid  joy,  as  he  bent  his  look  on 
the  tent  which  contained  his  recovered  prisoner,  and  then, 
again,  the  impression  seemed  unaccountably  chased  away 
by  the  shadows  of  intense  apprehension.  When  under 
the  influence  of  the  latter  feeling,  his  eye  never  failed  to 
seek  the  visage  of  his  dull  and  impenetrable  kinsman. 
But  there  he  rather  found  reason  for  alarm  than  grounds 
of  encouragement,  for  the  whole  character  of  the  squat 
ter's  countenance  expressed  the  fearful  truth,  that  he  had 
redeemed  his  dull  faculties  from  the  influence  of  the  kid 
napper,  and  that  his  thoughts  were  now  brooding  only  on 
the  achievement  of  his  own  stubborn  intentions. 

It  was  in  this  state  of  things  that  the  sons  of  Ishmael, 
in  obedience  to  an  order  from  their  father,  conducted  the 
several  subjects  of  his  contemplated  decisions  from  their 
places  of  confinement  into  the  open  air.  No  one  was  ex 
empted  from  this  arrangement.  Middletonand  Inez,  Paul 
and  Ellen,  Obed  and  the  trapper,  were  all  brought  forth 


398  THE   PRAIRIE 

and  placed  in  situations  that  were  deemed  suitable  to  re 
ceive  the  sentence  of  their  arbitrary  judge.  The  younger 
children  gathered  around  the  spot  in  momentary  but  en 
grossing  curiosity,  and  even  Esther  quitted  her  culinary 
labors  and  drew  nigh  to  listen. 

Hard-Heart  alone,  of  all  his  band,  was  present  to  wit 
ness  the  novel  and  far  from  unimposing  spectacle.  He 
stood  leaning  gravely  on  his  lance,  while  the  smoking 
steed  that  grazed  nigh  showed  that  he  had  ridden  far  and 
hard  to  be  a  spectator  on  the  occasion. 

Ishmael  had  received  his  new  ally  with  a  coldness  that 
showed  his  entire  insensibility  to  that  delicacy  which  had 
induced  the  young  chief  to  come  alone,  in  order  that  the 
presence  of  his  warriors  might  not  create  uneasiness  or 
distrust.  He  neither  courted  their  assistance  nor  dreaded 
their  enmity,  and  he  now  proceeded  to  the  business  of  the 
hour  with  as  much  composure  as  if  the  species  of  patri 
archal  power  he  wielded  was  universally  recognized. 

There  is  something  elevated  in  the  possession  of  author 
ity,  however  it  may  be  abused.  The  mind  is  apt  to  make 
some  efforts  to  prove  the  fitness  between  its  qualities  and 
the  condition  of  its  owner,  though  it  may  often  fail,  and 
render  that  ridiculous  which  was  only  hated  before.  But 
the  effect  on  Ishmael  Bush  was  not  so  disheartening. 
Grave  in  exterior,  saturnine  by  temperament,  formidable 
by  his  physical  means,  and  dangerous  from  his  lawless 
obstinacy,  his  self -constituted  tribunal  excited  a  degree 
of  awe  to  which  even  the  intelligent  Middleton  could  not 
bring  himself  to  be  entirely  insensible.  Little  time,  how 
ever,  was  given  to  arrange  his  thoughts;  for  the  squatter, 
though  unaccustomed  to  haste,  having  previously  made  up 
his  mind,  was  not  disposed  to  waste  the  moments  in  delay. 
When  he  saw  that  all  were  in  their  places  he  cast  a  dull 
look  over  his  prisoners,  and  addressed  himself  to  the  cap 
tain  as  the  principal  man  among  the  imaginary  delin 
quents. 

"I  am  called  upon  this  day  to  fill  the  office  which  in 
the  settlements  you  give  unto  judges,  who  are  set  apart 
to  decide  on  matters  that  arise  between  man  and  man.  I 
have  but  little  knowledge  of  the  ways  of  the  courts, 
though  there  is  a  rule  that  is  known  unto  all,  and  which 


THE   PRAIRIE  399 

teaches  that  an  'eye  must  be  returned  for  an  eye,'  and  'a 
tooth  for  a  tooth. '  I  am  no  troubler  of  county-houses, 
and  least  of  all  do  I  like  living  on  a  plantation  that  the 
sheriff  has  surveyed;  yet  there  is  a  reason  in  such  a  law 
that  makes  it  a  safe  rule  to  journey  by,  and  therefore  it 
ar'  a  solemn  fact  that  this  day  shall  I  abide  by  it,  and 
give  unto  all  and  each  that  which  is  his  due  and  no  more. ' ' 

When  Ishmael  had  delivered  his  mind  thus  far,  he 
paused  and  looked  about  him  as  if  he  would  trace  the 
effects  in  the  countenances  of  his  hearers.  When  his  eye 
met  that  of  Middleton  he  was  answered  by  the  latter: 

"If  the  evil-doer  is  to  be  punished  and  he  that  has 
offended  none  to  be  left  to  go  at  large,  you  must  change 
situations  with  me,  and  become  a  prisoner  instead  of  a 
judge." 

"You  mean  to  say  that  I  have  done  you  wrong  in  taking 
the  lady  from  her  father's  house,  and  leading  her  so  far 
against  her  will  into  these  districts,"  returned  the  un 
moved  squatter,  who  manifested  as  little  resentment  as  he 
betrayed  compunction  at  the  charge.  "I  shall  not  put  the 
lie  on  the  back  of  an  evil  deed,  and  deny  your  words. 
Since  things  have  come  to  this  pass  between  us  I  have 
found  time  to  think  the  matter  over  at  my  leisure,  and 
though  none  of  your  swift  thinkers,  who  can  see,  or  who 
pretend  to  see,  into  the  nature  of  all  things  by  a  turn  of 
the  eye,  yet  am  I  a  man  open  to  reason,  and,  give  me  my 
time,  one  who  is  not  given  to  deny  the  truth.  There 
fore  have  I  mainly  concluded  that  it  was  a  mistake  to  take 
a  child  from  its  parent,  and  the  lady  shall  be  returned 
whence  she  has  been  brought,  as  tenderly  and  as  safely  as 
man  can  do  it." 

"Ay,  ay,"  added  Esther,  "the  man  is  right.  Poverty 
and  labor  bore  hard  upon  him,  especially  as  county  officers 
were  getting  troublesome,  and  in  a  weak  moment  he  did 
the  wicked  act;  but  he  has  listened  to  my  words,  and  his 
mind  has  got  round  again  into  its  honest  corner.  An 
awful  and  a  dangerous  thing  it  is  to  be  bringing  the 
daughters  of  other  people  into  a  peaceable  and  well  gov 
erned  family!" 

"And  who  will  thank  you  for  the  same,  after  what  has 
been  already  done?"  muttered  Abiram,  with  a  grin  of 


400  THE   PRAIRIE 

disappointed  cupidity,  in  which  malignity  and  terror  were 
disgustingly  united;  "when  the  devil  has  once  made  out 
his  account,  you  may  look  for  your  receipt  in  full  only  at 
his  hands." 

"Peace!"  said  Ishmael,  stretching  his  heavy  hand 
towards  his  kinsman  in  a  manner  that  instantly  silenced 
the  speaker.  "Your  voice  is  like  a  raven's  in  my  ears. 
If  you  had  never  spoken,  I  should  have  been  spared  this 
shame. ' ' 

"Since,  then,  you  are  beginning  to  lose  sight  of  your 
errors  and  to  see  the  truth,"  said  Middleton,  "do  not 
things  by  halves,  but  by  the  generosity  of  your  conduct 
purchase  friends  who  may  be  of  use  in  warding  off  any 
future  danger  from  the  law — 

"Young  man,"  interrupted  the  squatter,  with  a  dark 
frown,  "you,  too,  have  said  enough.  If  fear  of  the  law 
had  come  over  me,  you  would  not  be  here  to  witness  the 
manner  in  which  Ishmael  Bush  deals  out  justice." 

"Smother  not  your  good  intentions;  and  remember,  if 
you  contemplate  violence  to  any  among  us,  that  the  arm 
of  that  law  you  affect  to  despise,  reaches  far,  and  that 
though  its  movements  are  sometimes  slow,  they  are  not 
the  less  certain!" 

"Yes,  there  is  too  much  truth  in  his  words,  squatter," 
said  the  trapper,  whose  attentive  ears  rarely  suffered  a 
syllable  to  be  utterly  unheeded  in  his  presence.  "A  busy 
and  a  troublesome  arm  it  often  proves  to  be  here  in  this 
land  of  America;  where,  as  they  say,  man  is  left  greatly 
to  the  following  of  his  own  wishes,  compared  to  other 
countries;  and  happier,  ay,  and  more  manly  and  more 
honest,  too,  is  he  for  the  privilege !  Why,  do  you  know,  my 
man,  that  there  are  regions  where  the  law  is  so  busy  as 
to  say,  In  this  fashion  shall  you  live,  in  that  fashion  shall 
you  die,  and  in  such  another  fashion  shall  you  take  leave 
of  the  world,  to  be  sent  before  the  judgment-seat  of  the 
Lord!  A  wicked  and  a  troublesome  meddling  is  that, 
with  the  business  of  One  who  has  not  made  his  creatures 
to  be  herded  like  oxen,  and  driven  from  field  to  field  as 
their  stupid  and  selfish  keepers  may  judge  of  their  need 
and  wants.  A  miserable  land  must  that  be  where  they  fetter 
the  mind  as  well  as  the  body,  and  where  the  creatures  of 


THE   PRAIRIE  401 

God,  being  born  children,  are  kept  so  by  the  wicked  in 
ventions  of  men  who  would  take  upon  themselves  the  office 
of  the  great  Governor  of  all ! " 

During  the  delivery  of  this  pertinent  opinion,  Ishmael 
was  content  to  be  silent,  though  the  look  with  which  he 
regarded  the  speaker  manifested  any  other  feeling  than 
that  of  amity.  When  the  old  man  had  done,  he  turned 
to  Middleton,  and  continued  the  subject  which  the  other 
had  interrupted. 

"As  to  ourselves,  young  captain,  there  has  been  wrong 
on  both  sides.  If  I  have  borne  hard  upon  your  feelings 
in  taking  away  your  wife  with  an  honest  intention  of 
giving  her  back  to  you  when  the  plans  of  that  devil  in 
carnate  were  answered,  so  have  you  broken  into  my  en 
campment,  aiding  and  abetting,  as  they  have  called  many 
an  honester  bargain,  in  destroying  my  property. ' ' 

"But  what  I  did  was  to  liberate — 

"The  matter  is  settled  between  us,"  interrupted  Ish 
mael,  with  the  air  of  one  who,  having  made  up  his  own 
opinion  on  the  merits  of  the  question,  cared  very  little  for 
those  of  other  people;  "you  and  your  wife  are  free  to  go 
and  come  when  and  how  you  please.  Abner,  set  the  cap 
tain  at  liberty;  and  now,  if  you  will  tarry  until  I  am 
ready  to  draw  nigher  to  the  settlements,  you  shall  both 
have  the  benefit  of  carriage;  if  not,  never  say  that  you 
did  not  get  a  friendly  offer." 

"Now,  may  the  strong  oppress  me,  and  my  sins  be 
visited  harshly  on  my  own  head,  if  I  forget  your  honesty, 
however  slow  it  has  been  in  showing  itself,"  cried  Mid 
dleton,  hastening  to  the  side  of  the  weeping  Inez,  the  in 
stant  he  was  released;  "and,  friend,  I  pledge  you  the 
honor  of  a  soldier  that  your  own  part  of  this  transaction 
shall  be  forgotten,  whatever  I  may  deem  fit  to  have  done, 
when  I  reach  a  place  where  the  arm  of  government  can 
make  itself  felt." 

The  dull  smile  with  which  the  squatter  answered  to 
this  assurance,  proved  how  little  he  valued  the  pledge 
that  the  youth,  in  the  first  revulsion  of  his  feelings,  was 
so  free  to  make. 

"Neither  fear  nor  favor,  but  what  I  call  justice,  has 
brought  me  to  this  judgment,"  he  said;  "do  you  that 
26 


402  THE   PRAIRIE 

which  may  seem  right  in  your  eyes,  and  believe  that  the 
world  is  wide  enough  to  hold  us  both,  without  our  cross 
ing  each  other's  path  again!  If  you  ar'  content,  well;  if 
you  ar'  not  content,  seek  to  ease  your  feelings  in  your 
own  fashion.  I  shall  not  ask  to  be  let  up,  when  you  once 
put  me  fairly  down.  And  now,  Doctor,  have  I  come  to 
your  leaf  in  my  accounts.  It  is  time  to  foot  up  the  small 
reckoning  that  has  been  running  on  for  some  time  atwixt 
us.  With  you,  I  entered  into  open  and  manly  faith;  in 
what  manner  have  you  kept  it?" 

The  singular  felicity  with  which  Ishmael  had  contrived 
to  shift  the  responsibility  of  all  that  had  passed  from  his 
own  shoulders  to  those  of  his  prisoners,  backed  as  it  was 
by  circumstances  that  hardly  admitted  of  a  very  philo 
sophical  examination  of  any  mooted  point  in  ethics,  was 
sufficiently  embarrassing  to  the  several  individuals,  who 
were  so  unexpectedly  required  to  answer  for  a  conduct 
which,  in  their  simplicity,  they  had  deemed  so  meritori 
ous.  The  life  of  Obed  had  been  so  purely  theoretic,  that 
his  amazement  was  not  the  least  embarrassing  at  a  state 
of  things,  which  might  not  have  proved  so  very  remark 
able  had  he  been  a  little  more  practised  in  the  ways  of 
the  world.  The  worthy  naturalist  was  not  the  first  by 
many,  who  found  himself,  at  the  precise  moment  when  he 
was  expecting  praise,  suddenly  arraigned  to  answer  for 
the  very  conduct  on  which  he  rested  all  his  claims  to 
commendation.  Though  not  a  little  scandalized  at  the 
unexpected  turn  of  the  transaction,  he  was  fain  to  make 
the* best  of  circumstances,  and  to  bring  forth  such  matter 
in  justification  as  first  presented  itself  to  his  disordered 
faculties. 

"That  there  did  exist  a  certain  compactum,  or  agree 
ment  between  Obed  Batt,  M.  D.,  and  Ishmael  Bush,  viator 
or  erratic  husbandman,"  he  said,  endeavoring  to  avoid 
all  offense  in  the  use  of  terms,  "I  am  not  disposed  to 
deny.  I  will  admit  that  it  was  therein  conditioned,  or 
stipulated,  that  a  certain  journey  should  be  performed 
conjointly,  or  in  company,  until  so  many  days  had  been 
numbered.  But  as  the  said  time  has  fully  expired,  I  pre 
sume  it  fair  to  infer  that  the  bargain  may  now  be  said 
to  be  obsolete." 


THE   PRAIRIE  403 

"Ishmael!"  interrupted  the  impatient  Esther,  "make 
no  words  with  a  man  who  can  break  your  bones  as  easily 
as  set  them,  and  let  the  poisoning  devil  go!  He's  a  cheat, 
from  box  to  vial.  Give  him  half  the  prairie,  and  take 
the  other  half  yourself.  He  an  acclimator!  I  will  engage 
to  get  the  brats  acclimated  to  a  fever- and -ague  bottom  in 
a  week,  and  not  a  word  shall  be  uttered  harder  to  pro 
nounce  than  the  bark  of  a  cherry-tree,  with  perhaps  a 
drop  or  two  of  western  comfort.  One  thing  ar'  a  fact, 
Ishmael;  I  like  no  fellow-travelers  who  can  give  a  heavy 
feel  to  an  honest  woman's  tongue,  I — and  that  with 
out  caring  whether  her  household  is  in  order  or  out  of 
order." 

The  air  of  settled  gloom  which  had  taken  possession  of 
the  squatter's  countenance,  lighted  for  an  instant  with  a 
look  of  dull  drollery,  as  he  answered : 

"Different  people  might  judge  differently,  Esther,  of 
the  virtue  of  the  man's  art.  But  sin'  it  is  your  wish  to 
let  him  depart,  I  will  not  plough  the  prairie  to  make  the 
walking  rough.  Friend,  you  are  at  liberty  to  go  into  the 
settlements,  and  there  I  would  advise  you  to  tarry,  as 
men  like  me  who  make  but  few  contracts,  do  not  relish 
the  custom  of  breaking  them  so  easily." 

"And  now,  Ishmael,"  resumed  his  conquering  wife, 
"in  order  to  keep  a  quiet  family  and  to  smother  all  heart 
burnings  between  us,  show  yonder  red-skin  and  his  daugh 
ter,"  pointing  to  the  aged  Le  Balafre  and  the  widowed 
Tachechana,  "the  way  to  their  village,  and  let  us  say  to 
them — God  bless  you,  and  Farewell,  in  the  same  breath!" 

"They  are  the  captives  of  the  Pawnee,  according  to  the 
rules  of  Indian  warfare,  and  I  cannot  meddle  with  his 
rights." 

"Beware  the  devil,  my  man!  He's  a  cheat  and  a 
tempter,  and  none  can  say  they  ar'  safe  with  his  awful 
delusions  before  their  eyes!  Take  the  advice  of  one  who 
has  the  honor  of  your  name  at  heart,  and  send  the  tawny 
Jezebel  away." 

The  squatter  laid  his  broad  hand  on  her  shoulder,  and 
looking  her  steadily  in  the  eye,  he  answered  in  tones  that 
were  both  stern  and  solemn : 

"Woman,  we   have   that   before   us   which   calls   our 


404  THE   PRAIRIE 

thoughts  to  other  matters  than  the  follies  you  mean. 
Remember  what  is  to  come,  and  put  your  silly  jealousy 
to  sleep. ' ' 

"It  is  true,  it  is  true,"  murmured  his  wife,  moving 
back  among  her  daughters;  "God  forgive  me  that  I  should 
forget  it!" 

"And  now,  young  man;  you  who  have  so  often  come 
into  my  clearing  under  the  pretense  of  lining  the  bee 
into  his  hole,"  resumed  Ishmael,  after  a  momentary 
pause,  as  if  to  recover  the  equilibrium  of  his  mind, 
"with  you  there  is  a  heavier  account  to  settle.  Not  sat 
isfied  with  rummaging  my  camp,  you  have  stolen  a  girl 
who  is  akin  to  my  wife,  and  whom  I  had  calculated  to 
make  one  day  a  daughter  of  my  own. ' ' 

A  stronger  sensation  was  produced  by  this  than  by  any 
of  the  preceding  interrogations.  All  the  young  men  bent 
their  curious  eyes  on  Paul  and  Ellen,  the  former  of  whom 
seemed  in  no  small  mental  confusion,  while  the  latter 
bent  her  face  on  her  bosom  in  shame. 

"Harkee,  friend  Ishmael  Bush,"  returned  the  bee- 
hunter,  who  found  that  he  was  expected  to  answer  to  the 
charge  of  burglary  as  well  as  to  that  of  abduction;  "that 
I  did  not  give  the  most  civil  treatment  to  your  pots  and 
pails  I  am  not  going  to  gainsay.  If  you  will  name  the 
price  you  put  upon  the  articles,  it  is  possible  the  damage 
may  be  quietly  settled  between  us,  and  all  hard  feelings 
forgotten.  I  was  not  in  a  church-going  humor  when  we 
got  upon  your  rock,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  there  was 
quite  as  much  kicking  as  preaching  among  your  wares;  but 
a  hole  in  the  best  man's  coat  can  be  mended  by  money.  As 
to  the  matter  of  Ellen  Wade,  here,  it  may  not  be  got  over 
so  easily.  Different  people  have  different  opinions  on  the 
subject  of  matrimony.  Some  think  it  is  enough  to  say 
yes  and  no  to  the  questions  of  the  magistrate  or  of  the 
parson,  if  one  happens  to  be  handy,  in  order  to  make  a 
quiet  house;  but  I  think  that  where  a  young  woman's 
mind  is  fairly  bent  on  going  in  a  certain  direction,  it  will 
be  quite  as  prudent  to  let  her  body  follow.  Not  that  I 
mean  to  say  Ellen  was  not  altogether  forced  to  what  she 
did,  and  therefore  she  is  just  as  innocent  in  this  matter 
as  yonder  jackass,  who  was  made  to  carry  her,  and  greatly 


THE   PRAIRIE  405 

against  his  will,  too,  as  I  am  ready  to  swear  he  would  say 
himself,  if  he  could  speak  as  loud  as  he  can  bray." 

"Nelly,"  resumed  the  squatter,  who  paid  very  little 
attention  to  what  Paul  considered  a  highly  creditable  and 
ingenious  vindication,  "Nelly,  this  is  a  wide  and  a  wicked 
world  on  which  you  have  been  in  such  a  hurry  to  cast 
yourself.  You  have  fed  and  you  have  slept  in  my  camp 
for  a  year,  and  I  did  hope  that  you  had  found  the  free  air 
of  the  borders  enough  to  your  mind  to  wish  to  remain 
among  us. ' ' 

"Let  the  girl  have  her  will,"  muttered  Esther,  from 
the  rear;  "he  who  might  have  persuaded  her  to  stay  is 
sleeping  in  the  cold  and  naked  prairie,  and  little  hope  is 
left  of  changing  her  humor;  besides,  a  woman's  mind  is 
a  wilful  thing,  and  not  easily  turned  from  its  wayward 
ness,  as  you  know  yourself,  my  man,  or  I  should  not  be 
here  the  mother  of  your  sons  and  daughters. ' ' 

The  squatter  seemed  reluctant  to  abandon  his  views  on 
the  abashed  girl  so  easily;  and  before  he  answered  to  the 
suggestion  of  his  wife,  he  turned  his  usual  dull  look  along 
the  line  of  the  curious  countenances  of  his  boys,  as  if  to 
see  whether  there  was  not  one  among  them  to  fill  the 
place  of  the  deceased.  Paul  was  not  slow  to  observe  the 
expression,  and  hitting  nigher  than  usual  on  the  secret 
thoughts  of  the  other,  he  believed  he  had  fallen  on  an 
expedient  which  might  remove  every  difficulty. 

"It  is  quite  plain,  friend  Bush,"  he  said,  "that  there 
are  two  opinions  in  this  matter;  yours  for  your  sons,  and 
mine  for  myself.  I  see  but  one  amicable  way  of  settling 
this  dispute,  which  is  as  follows:  do  you  make  a  choice 
among  your  boys  of  any  you  will,  and  let  us  walk  off  to 
gether  for  the  matter  of  a  few  miles  into  the  prairie;  the 
one  who  stays  behind  can  never  trouble  any  man's  house 
or  his  fixin',  and  the  one  who  comes  back  may  make  the 
best  of  his  way  he  can,  in  the  good  wishes  of  the  young 
woman. ' ' 

"Paul!"  exclaimed  the  reproachful  but  smothered  voice 
of  Ellen. 

"Never  fear,  Nelly,"  whispered  the  literal  bee-hunter, 
whose  straight-going  mind  suggested  no  other  motive  of 
uneasiness  on  the  part  of  his  mistress,  than  concern  for 


406  THE   PRAIRIE 

himself;  "I  have  taken  the  measure  of  them  all,  and  you 
may  trust  an  eye  that  has  seen  to  line  many  a  bee  into 
his  hole!" 

"I  am  not  about  to  set  myself  up  as  a  ruler  of  inclina 
tions,"  observed  the  squatter.  "If  the  heart  of  the  child 
is  truly  in  the  settlements,  let  her  declare  it;  she  shall 
have  no  let  or  hindrance  from  me.  Speak,  Nelly,  and  let 
what  you  say  come  from  your  wishes,  without  fear  or 
favor.  Would  you  leave  us  to  go  with  this  young  man 
into  the  settled  countries,  or  will  you  tarry  and  share  the 
little  we  have  to  give,  but  which  to  you  we  give  so 
freely?" 

Thus  called  upon  to  decide,  Ellen  could  no  longer  hesi 
tate.  The  glance  of  her  eye  was  at  first  timid  and 
furtive.  But  as  the  color  flushed  her  features,  and  her 
breathing  became  quick  and  excited,  it  was  apparent  that 
the  native  spirit  of  the  girl  was  gaining  the  ascendency 
over  the  bashfulness  of  sex. 

'  'You  took  me  a  fatherless,  impoverished,  and  friendless 
orphan,"  she  said,  struggling  to  command  her  voice, 
"when  others,  who  live  in  what  may  be  called  affluence 
compared  to  your  state,  chose  to  forget  me;  and  may 
Heaven  in  its  goodness  bless  you  for  it!  The  little  I  have 
done  will  never  pay  you  for  that  one  act  of  kindness.  I 
like  not  your  manner  of  life;  it  is  different  from  the 
ways  of  my  childhood,  and  it  is  different  from  my  wishes; 
still,  had  you  not  led  this  sweet  and  unoffending  lady 
from  her  friends,  I  should  never  have  quitted  you  until 
you  yourself  had  said,  'Go,  and  the  blessing  of  God  go 
with  you!'  ' 

"The  act  was  not  wise,  but  it  is  repented  of;  and  so 
far  as  it  can  be  done,  in  safety,  it  shall  be  repaired. 
Now,  speak  freely,  will  you  tarry,  or  will  you  go?" 

"I  have  promised  the  lady,"  said  Ellen,  dropping  her 
eyes  again  to  the  earth,  "not  to  leave  her;  and  after  she 
has  received  so  much  wrong  from  all  hands,  she  may  have 
a  right  to  claim  that  I  keep  my  word." 

"Take  the  cords  from  the  young  man,"  said  Ishmael. 
When  the  order  was  obeyed,  he  motioned  for  all  his  sons 
to  advance,  and  he  placed  them  in  a  row  before  the  eyes 
of  Ellen.  "Now  let  there  be  no  trifling,  but  open  your 


THE   PRAIRIE  407 

heart.  Here  ar'  all  I  have  to  offer,  besides  a  hearty 
welcome." 

The  distressed  girl  turned  her  abashed  look  from  the 
countenance  of  one  of  the  young  men  to  that  of  another 
until  her  eyes  met  the  troubled  and  working  features  of 
Paul.  Then  nature  got  the  better  of  forms.  She  threw 
herself  into  the  arms  of  the  bee-hunter,  and  sufficiently 
proclaimed  her  choice  by  sobbing  aloud.  Ishmael  signed 
to  his  sons  to  fall  back,  and  evidently  mortified,  though 
perhaps  not  disappointed  by  the  result,  he  no  longer 
hesitated. 

"Take  her,"  he  said,  "and  deal  honestly  and  kindly  by 
her.  The  girl  has  that  in  her  which  should  make  her 
welcome  in  any  man's  house,  and  I  should  be  loath  to 
learn  that  she  ever  came  to  harm.  And  now  I  have  settled 
with  you  all,  on  terms  that  I  hope  you  will  not  find  hard, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  just  and  manly.  I  have  only  another 
question  to  ask,  and  that  is  of  the  captain;  do  you  choose 
to  profit  by  my  teams  in  going  into  the  settlements,  or 
not?" 

"I  hear  that  some  soldiers  of  my  party  are  looking  for 
me  near  the  villages  of  the  Pawnees,"  said  Middleton, 
"and  I  intend  to  accompany  this  chief,  in  order  to  join 
my  men." 

"Then  the  sooner  we  part  the  better.  Horses  are  plenty 
on  the  bottom.  Go;  make  your  choice,  and  leave  us  in 
peace. ' ' 

"That  is  impossible,  while  the  old  man,  who  has  been  a 
friend  of  my  family  near  half  a  century,  is  left  a  prisoner. 
What  has  he  done  that  he,  too,  is  not  released?" 

"Ask  no  questions  that  may  lead  to  deceitful  answers," 
sullenly  returned  the  squatter;  "I  have  dealings  of  my 
own  with  that  trapper,  that  it  may  not  befit  an  officer  of 
the  States  to  meddle  with.  Go,  while  your  road  is  open. " 

"The  man  may  be  giving  you  honest  counsel,  and  that 
which  it  concerns  you  all  to  hearken  to,"  observed  the 
old  captive,  who  seemed  in  no  uneasiness  at  the  extraor 
dinary  condition  in  which  he  found  himself.  "The  Sioux 
are  a  numberless  and  bloody-minded  race,  and  no  one  can 
say  how  long  it  maybe  afore  they  will  be  out  again  on  the 
scent  of  revenge.  Therefore,  I  say  to  you,  go,  also;  and 


408  THE  PRAIRIE 

take  special  heed,  in  crossing  the  bottoms,  that  you  get 
not  entangled  again  in  the  fires,  for  the  honest  hunters 
often  burn  the  grass  at  this  season,  in  order  that  the 
buffaloes  may  find  a  sweeter  and  a  greener  pasturage  in 
the  spring." 

"I  should  forget  not  only  my  gratitude,  but  my  duty 
to  the  laws,  were  I  to  leave  this  prisoner  in  your  hands, 
even  by  his  own  consent,  without  knowing  the  nature  of 
his  crime,  in  which  we  may  have  all  been  his  innocent 
accessories. ' ' 

"Will  it  satisfy  you  to  know  that  he  merits  all  he  will 
receive?" 

"It  will  at  least  change  my  opinion  of  his  character." 

"Look  then  at  this,"  said  Ishmael,  placing  before  the 
eyes  of  the  captain  the  bullet  that  had  been  found  about 
the  person  of  the  dead  Asa;  "with  this  morsel  of  lead  did 
he  lay  low  as  fine  a  boy  as  ever  gave  joy  to  a  parent's 
eyes ! ' ' 

"I  cannot  believe  that  he  has  done  this  deed,  unless 
in  self-defense,  or  on  some  justifiable  provocation.  That 
he  knew  of  the  death  of  your  son,  I  confess,  for  he  pointed 
out  the  brake  in  which  the  body  lay,  but  that  he  has 
wrongfully  taken  his  life,  nothing  but  his  own  acknowl 
edgment  shall  persuade  me  to  believe." 

'I  have  lived  long,"  commenced  the  trapper,  who  found 
by  the  general  pause  that  he  was  expected  to  vindicate 
himself  from  the  heavy  imputation,  "and  much  evil  have 
I  seen  in  my  day.  Many  are  the  prowling  bears  and 
leaping  panthers  that  I  have  met,  fighting  for  the  morsel 
which  has  been  thrown  in  their  way;  and  many  are  the 
reason  ing  men  that  I  have  looked  on  striving  against  each 
other  unto  death,  in  order  that  human  madness  might 
also  have  its  hour.  For  myself,  I  hope  there  is  no  boast 
ing  in  saying,  that  though  my  hand  has  been  needed  in 
ting  down  wickedness  and  oppression,  it  has  never 
struck  a  blow  of  which  its  owner  will  be  ashamed  to  hear, 
at  a  reckoning  that  shall  be  far  mightier  than  this. ' ' 

f  my  father  has  taken  life  from  one  of  his  tribe," 
said  the  young  Pawnee,  whose  quick  eye  had  read  the 
meaning  of  what  was  passing,  in  the  bullet  and  in  the 
:ountenances  of  the  others,  "let  him  give  himself  up  to 


THE   PRAIRIE  409 

the  friends  of  the  dead,  like  a  warrior.  He  is  too  just  to 
need  thongs  to  lead  him  to  judgment." 

"Boy,  I  hope  you  do  me  justice.  If  I  had  done  the  foul 
deed  with  which  they  charge  me,  I  should  have  manhood 
enough  to  come  and  offer  my  head  to  the  blow  of  punish 
ment,  as  all  good  and  honest  red-men  do  the  same." 
Then  giving  his  anxious  Indian  friend  a  look,  to  reassure 
him  of  his  innocence,  he  turned  to  the  rest  of  his  atten 
tive  and  interested  listeners,  as  he  continued  in  English. 
"I  have  a  short  story  to  tell,  and  he  that  believes  it  will 
believe  the  truth,  and  he  that  disbelieves  it  will  only  lead 
himself  astray,  and  perhaps  his  neighbor,  too.  We  were 
all  outlying  about  your  camp,  friend  squatter,  as  by  this 
time  you  may  begin  to  suspect,  when  we  found  that  it 
contained  a  wronged  and  imprisoned  lady,  with  inten 
tions  neither  more  honest  nor  dishonest  than  to  set  her 
free,  as  in  nature  and  justice  she  had  a  right  to  be.  See 
ing  that  I  was  more  skilled  in  scouting  than  the  others, 
while  they  lay  back  in  the  cover,  I  was  sent  upon  the 
plain,  on  the  business  of  the  reconnoiterings.  You  little 
thought  that  one  was  so  nigh,  who  saw  into  all  the  cir 
cumventions  of  your  hunt;  but  there  was  I,  sometimes 
flat  behind  a  bush  or  a  tuft  of  grass,  sometimes  rolling 
down  a  hill  into  a  bottom,  and  little  did  you  dream  that 
your  motions  were  watched,  as  the  panther  watches  the 
drinking  deer.  Lord,  squatter,  when  I  was  a  man  in  the 
pride  and  strength  of  my  days,  I  have  looked  in  at  the 
tent  door  of  the  enemy,  and  they  sleeping,  ay,  and  dream 
ing,  too,  of  being  at  home  and  in  peace.  I  wish  there 
was  time  to  give  you  the  partic — 

"Proceed  with  your  explanation,"  interrupted  Mid- 
dleton. 

"Ah!  and  a  bloody  and  wicked  sight  it  was!  There  I 
lay  in  a  low  bed  of  grass,  as  two  of  the  hunters  came 
nigh  each  other.  Their  meeting  was  not  cordial,  nor  such 
as  men,  who  meet  in  a  desert  should  give  each  other;  but 
I  thought  they  would  have  parted  in  peace,  until  I  saw 
one  put  his  rifle  to  the  other's  back,  and  do  what  I  call  a 
treacherous  and  sinful  murder.  It  was  a  noble  and  a 
manly  youth,  that  boy!  Though  the  powder  burnt  his 
coat,  he  stood  the  shock  for  more  than  a  minute  before 


410  THE   PRAIRIE 

he  fell.  Then  was  he  brought  to  his  knees,  and  a  desperate 
and  manful  fight  he  made  to  the  brake,  like  a  wounded 
bear  seeking  a  cover!" 

"And  why,  in  the  name  of  heavenly  justice,  did  you 
conceal  this?"  cried  Middleton. 

"What!  think  you,  captain,  that  a  man  who  has  spent 
more  than  threescore  years  in  the  wilderness,  has  not 
learned  the  virtue  of  discretion?  What  red  warrior  runs 
to  tell  the  sights  he  has  seen,  until  a  fitting  time?  I  took 
the  Doctor  to  the  place,  in  order  to  see  whether  his  skill 
might  not  come  in  use;  and  our  friend,  the  bee-hunter, 
being  in  company,  was  knowing  to  the  fact  that  the  bushes 
held  the  body." 

"Ay;  it  ar'  true,"  said  Paul;  "but  not  knowing  what 
private  reasons  might  make  the  old  trapper  wish  to  hush 
the  matter  up,  I  said  as  little  about  the  thing  as  possible; 
which  was  just  nothing  at  all." 

"And  who  was  the  perpetrator  of  this  deed?"  demanded 
Middleton. 

"If  by  the  perpetrator  you  mean  him  who  did  the  act, 
yonder  stands  the  man;  and  a  shame  and  a  disgrace  is  it 
to  our  race,  that  he  is  of  the  blood  and  family  of  the 
dead." 

"He  lies!  he  lies!"  shrieked  Abiram.  "I  did  no  mur 
der;  I  gave  but  blow  for  blow." 

The  voice  of  Ishmael  was  deep,  and  even  awful,  as  he 
answered : 

"It  is  enough.  Let  the  old  man  go.  Boys,  put  the 
brother  of  your  mother  in  his  place." 

"Touch  me  not!"  cried  Abiram.  "I'll  call  on  God  to 
curse  ye  if  you  touch  me!" 

The  wild  and  disordered  gleam  of  his  eye  at  first  in 
duced  the  young  men  to  arrest  their  steps;  but  when 
Abner,  older  and  more  resolute  than  the  rest,  advanced 
full  upon  him,  with  a  countenance  that  bespoke  the  hostile 

ate  of  his  mind,  the  affrighted  criminal  turned,  and 

ting  an  abortive  effort  to  fly,  fell  with  his  face  to  the 

th,  to  all  appearance  perfectly  dead.     Amid   the  low 

mations  of  horror  which  succeeded,  Ishmael   made  a 

e  which  commanded  his  sons  to  bear  the  body  into 

' 


THE   PRAIRIE  411 

"Now,"  he  said,  turning  to  those  who  were  strangers 
in  his  camp,  "nothing  is  left  to  be  done,  but  each  to  go 
his  own  road.  I  wish  you  all  well;  and  to  you,  Ellen, 
though  you  may  not  prize  the  gift,  I  say,  God  bless  you!" 

Middleton,  awe-struck  by  what  he  believed  a  manifest 
judgment  of  Heaven,  made  no  further  resistance,  but 
prepared  to  depart.  The  arrangements  were  brief,  and 
soon  completed.  When  they  were  all  ready,  they  took  a 
short  and  silent  leave  of  the  squatter  and  his  family;  and 
then  the  whole  of  the  singularly  constituted  party  were 
seen  slowly  and  silently  following  the  victorious  Pawnee 
towards  his  distant  villages. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

"  And  I  beseech  you, 
Wrest  once  the  law,  to  your  authority 
To  do  a  great  right,  do  a  little  wrong.  " 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

ISHMAEL  awaited  long  and  patiently  for  the  motley  train 
of  Hard-Heart  to  disappear.  When  his  scout  reported 
that  the  last  straggler  of  the  Indians,  who  had  joined 
their  chief  so  soon  as  he  was  at  such  a  distance  from  the 
encampment  as  to  excite  no  jealousy  by  their  numbers, 
had  gone  behind  the  most  distant  swell  of  the  prairie,  he 
gave  forth  the  order  to  strike  his  tents.  The  cattle  were 
already  in  the  gears,  and  the  movables  were  soon  trans 
ferred  to  their  usual  places  in  the  different  vehicles. 
When  all  these  arrangements  were  completed,  the  little 
wagon,  which  had  so  long  been  the  tenement  of  Inez,  was 
drawn  before  the  tent  into  which  the  insensible  body  of 
the  kidnapper  had  been  borne,  and  preparations  were  evi 
dently  made  for  the  reception  of  another  prisoner.  Then 
it  was,  as  Abiram  appeared,  pale,  terrified,  and  tottering 
beneath  a  load  of  detected  guilt,  that  the  younger  mem 
bers  of  the  family  were  first  apprised  that  he  still  belonged 
to  the  class  of  the  living.  A  general  and  superstitious 
impression  had  spread  among  them,  that  his  crime  had 
been  visited  by  a  terrible  retribution  from  Heaven;  and 
they  now  gazed  at  him,  as  at  a  being  who  belonged  rather 
to  another  world,  than  as  a  mortal,  who,  like  themselves, 
had  still  to  endure  the  last  agony  before  the  great  link 
of  human  existence  could  be  broken.  The  criminal  him 
self  appeared  to  be  in  a  state  in  which  the  most  sensitive 
and  startling  terror  was  singularly  combined  with  total 
physical  apathy.  The  truth  was,  that  while  his  person 
had  been  numbed  by  the  shock,  his  susceptibility  to  ap- 

-ehension  kept  his  agitated  mind  in  unrelieved  distress. 
When  he  found  himself  in  the  open  air,  he  looked  about 
him,  in  order  to  gather,  if  possible,  some  evidences  of 

412 


THE   PRAIRIE  413 

his  future  fate,  from  the  countenances  of  those  gathered 
round.  Seeing  everywhere  grave  but  composed  features, 
and  meeting  in  no  eye  any  expression  that  threatened  im 
mediate  violence,  the  miserable  man  began  to  revive;  and, 
by  the  time  he  was  seated  in  the  wagon,  his  artful  faculties 
were  beginning  to  plot  the  expedients  of  parrying  the 
just  resentment  of  his  kinsmen,  or,  if  these  should  fail 
him,  the  means  of  escaping  from  a  punishment  that  his 
forebodings  told  him  would  be  terrible. 

Throughout  the  whole  of  these  preparations,  Ishmael 
rarely  spoke.  A  gesture,  or  a  glance  of  the  eye,  served 
to  indicate  his  pleasure  to  his  sons,  and  with  these  simple 
methods  of  communication  all  parties  appeared  content. 
When  the  signal  was  made  to  proceed,  the  squatter  threw 
his  rifle  into  the  hollow  of  his  arm,  and  his  axe  across 
his  shoulder,  taking  the  lead  as  usual.  Esther  buried 
herself  in  the  wagon  which  contained  her  daughters;  the 
young  men  took  their  customary  places  among  the  cattle 
or  nigh  the  teams;  and  the  whole  proceeded,  at  their 
ordinary  dull  but  unremitted  gait. 

For  the  first  time  in  many  a  day  the  squatter  turned 
his  back  towards  the  setting  sun.  The  route  he  held  was 
in  the  direction  of  the  settled  country,  and  the  manner  in 
which  he  moved  sufficed  to  tell  his  children,  who  had 
learned  to  read  their  father's  determinations  in  his  mien, 
that  their  journey  on  the  prairie  was  shortly  to  have  an 
end.  Still,  nothing  else  transpired  for  hours,  that  might 
denote  the  existence  of  any  sudden  or  violent  revolution 
in  the  purposes  or  feelings  of  Ishmael.  During  all  that 
time  he  marched  alone,  keeping  a  few  hundred  rods  in 
front  of  his  teams,  seldom  giving  any  sign  of  extraordi 
nary  excitement.  Once  or  twice,  indeed,  his  huge  figure 
was  seen  standing  on  the  summit  of  some  distant  swell, 
with  the  head  bent  towards  the  earth,  as  he  leaned  on  his 
rifle;  but  then  these  moments  of  intense  thought  were 
rare,  and  of  short  continuance.  The  train  had  long  thrown 
its  shadow  towards  the  east,  before  any  material  altera 
tion  was  made  in  the  disposition  of  their  march.  Water 
courses  were  waded,  plains  were  passed,  and  rolling 
ascents  risen  and  descended,  without  producing  the  small 
est  change.  Long  practised  in  the  difficulties  of  that 


414  THE   PRAIRIE 

peculiar  species  of  traveling  in  which  he  was  engaged, 
the  squatter  avoided  the  more  impracticable  obstacles  of 
their  route  by  a  sort  of  instinct,  invariably  inclining  to 
the  right  or  left  in  season,  as  the  formation  of  the  land, 
the  presence  of  trees,  or  the  signs  of  rivers,  forewarned 
him  of  the  necessity  of  such  movements. 

At  length  the  hour  arrived  when  charity  to  man  and 
beast  required  a  temporary  suspension  of  labor.  Ishmael 
chose  the  required  spot  with  his  customary  sagacity.  The 
regular  formation  of  the  country,  such  as  it  has  been 
described  in  the  earlier  pages  of  our  book,  had  long  been 
interrupted  by  a  more  unequal  and  broken  surface.  There 
were,  it  is  true,  in  general,  the  same  wide  and  empty 
wastes,  the  same  rich  and  extensive  bottoms,  and  that 
wild  and  singular  combination  of  swelling  fields  and  of 
nakedness,  which  gives  that  region  the  appearance  of  an 
ancient  country,  incomprehensibly  stripped  of  its  people 
and  their  dwellings.  But  those  distinguishing  features 
of  the  roll  ing  prairies  had  long  been  interrupted  by  irreg 
ular  hillocks,  occasional  masses  of  rock,  and  broad  belts 
of  forest. 

Ishmael  chose  a  spring  that  broke  out  of  the  base  of  a 
rock  some  forty  or  fifty  feet  in  elevation,  as  a  place  well 
suited  to  the  wants  of  his  herds.  The  water  moistened  a 
small  swale  that  lay  beneath  the  spot,  which  yielded,  in 
return  for  the  fecund  gift,  a  scanty  growth  of  grass.  A 
solitary  willow  had  taken  root  in  the  alluvion,  and  profit 
ing  by  its  exclusive  possession  of  the  soil,  the  tree  had 
sent  up  its  stem  far  above  the  crest  of  the  adjacent  rock, 
whose  peaked  summit  had  once  been  shadowed  by  its 
branches.  But  its  loveliness  had  gone  with  the  mysteri 
ous  principle  of  life.  As  if  in  mockery  of  the  meager 
low  of  verdure  that  the  spot  exhibited,  it  remained  a 

We  and  solemn  monument  of  former  fertility.     The 

larger     ragged,   and   fantastic   branches   still    obtruded 

hemselves  abroad,  while  the  white  and  hoary  trunk  stood 

naked  and  tempest-riven.     Not  a  leaf  nor  a  sign  of  vege- 

tionwas  to  be  teen  about  it.    In  all  things  it  proclaimed 
frailty  of  existence,  and  the  fulfilment  of  time. 

re  Ishmael,  after  making  the  customary  signal  for 
the  tram  to  approach,  threw  his  vast  frame  upon  the 


THE   PRAIRIE  415 

earth,  and  seemed  to  muse  on  the  deep  responsibility  of 
his  present  situation.  His  sons  were  not  long  in  arriving; 
for  the  cattle  no  sooner  scented  the  food  and  water  than 
they  quickened  their  pace,  and  then  succeeded  the  usual 
bustle  and  avocations  of  a  halt. 

The  impression  made  by  the  scene  of  that  morning  was 
not  so  deep  or  lasting  on  the  children  of  Ishmael  and 
Esther,  as  to  induce  them  to  forget  the  wants  of  nature. 
But  while  the  sons  were  searching  among  their  stores  for 
something  substantial  to  appease  their  hunger,  and  the 
younger  fry  were  wrangling  about  their  simple  dishes, 
the  parents  of  the  unnurtured  family  were  differently 
employed. 

When  the  squatter  saw  that  all,  even  to  the  reviving 
Abiram,  were  busy  in  administering  to  their  appetites, 
he  gave  his  downcast  partner  a  glance  of  his  eye,  and 
withdrew  towards  a  distant  roll  of  the  land,  which  bounded 
the  view  towards  the  east.  The  meeting  of  the  pair  in 
this  naked  spot  was  like  an  interview  held  above  the  grave 
of  their  murdered  son.  Ishmael  signed  to  his  wife  to  take 
a  seat  beside  him  on  a  fragment  of  rock,  and  then  fol 
lowed  a  space  during  which  neither  seemed  disposed  to 
speak. 

"We  have  journeyed  together  long,  through  good  and 
bad,"  Ishmael  at  length  commenced;  "much  have  we  had 
to  try  us,  and  some  bitter  cups  have  we  been  made  to 
swallow,  my  woman;  but  nothing  like  this  has  ever  before 
lain  in  my  path." 

"It  is  a  heavy  cross  for  a  poor,  misguided,  and  sinful 
woman  to  bear!"  returned  Esther,  bowing  her  head  to 
her  knees,  and  partly  concealing  her  face  in  her  dress. 
"A  heavy  and  a  burdensome  weight  is  this  to  be  laid  upon 
the  shoulders  of  a  sister  and  a  mother!" 

"Ay;  therein  lies  the  hardship  of  the  case.  I  had 
brought  my  mind  to  the  punishment  of  that  houseless 
trapper,  with  no  great  strivings,  for  the  man  had  done 
me  few  favors,  and  God  forgive  me  if  I  suspected  him 
wrongfully  of  much  evil!  This  is,  however,  bringing 
shame  in  at  one  door  of  my  cabin  in  order  to  drive  it  out 
at  the  other.  But  shall  a  son  of  mine  be  murdered,  and 
he  who  did  it  go  at  large? — the  boy  would  never  rest!" 


416  THE  PRAIRIE 

"Oh,  Ishmael,  we  pushed  the  matter  far!  Had  little 
been  said,  who  would  have  been  the  wiser?  Our  con 
sciences  might  then  have  been  quiet." 

"Eester,"said  the  husband,  turning  on  her  a  reproach 
ful,  but  still  a  dull  regard,  "the  hour  has  been,  my 
woman,  when  you  thought  another  hand  had  done  this 
wickedness." 

"I  did,  I  did!  the  Lord  gave  me  the  feeling  as  a  pun 
ishment  for  my  sins!  but  His  mercy  was  not  slow  in  lift 
ing  the  veil;  I  looked  into  the  Book,  Ishmael,  and  there 
I  found  the  words  of  comfort." 

"Have  you  that  book  at  hand,  woman?  it  may  happen 
to  advise  in  such  a  dreary  business." 

Esther  fumbled  in  her  pocket,  and  was  not  long  in  pro 
ducing  the  fragment  of  a  Bible  which  had  been  thumbed 
and  smoke-dried  till  the  print  was  nearly  illegible.  It 
was  the  only  article  in  the  nature  of  a  book  that  was  to 
be  found  among  the  chattels  of  the  squatter,  and  it  had 
been  preserved  by  his  wife  as  a  melancholy  relic  of  more 
prosperous,  and  possibly  of  more  innocent  days.  She  had 
long  been  in  the  habit  of  resorting  to  it  under  the  pres 
sure  of  such  circumstances  as  were  palpably  beyond  human 
redress,  though  her  spirit  and  resolution  rarely  needed 
support  under  those  that  admitted  of  reparation  through 
any  of  the  ordinary  means  of  reprisal.  In  this  manner 
Esther  had  made  a  sort  of  convenient  ally  of  the  Word 
of  God;  rarely  troubling  it  for  counsel,  however,  except 
when  her  own  incompetency  to  avert  an  evil  was  too  ap 
parent  to  be  disputed.  We  shall  leave  casuists  to  deter 
mine  how  far  she  resembled  any  other  believers  in  this 
particular,  and  proceed  directly  with  the  matter  before  us. 

"There  are  many  awful  passages  in  these  pages,  Ish 
mael,"  she  said,  when  the  volume  was  opened,  and  the 
leaves  were  slowly  turning  under  her  finger,  "and  some 
there  ar'  that  teach  the  rules  of  punishment." 

Her  husband  made  a  gesture  for  her  to  find  one  of  those 
brief  rules  of  conduct  which  have  been  received  among 
all  Christian  nations  as  the  direct  mandates  of  the  Creator, 
and  which  have  been  found  so  just,  that  even  they  who 
deny  their  high  authority,  admit  their  wisdom.  Ishmael 
listened  with  grave  attention  as  his  companion  read  all 


THE   PRAIRIE  417 

those  verses  which  her  memory  suggested,  and  which 
were  thought  applicable  to  the  situation  in  which  they 
found  themselves.  He  made  her  show  him  the  words, 
which  he  regarded  with  a  sort  of  strange  reverence.  A 
resolution  once  taken  was  usually  irrevocable  in  one  who 
was  moved  with  so  much  difficulty.  He  put  his  hand 
upon  the  book  and  closed  the  pages  himself,  as  much  as 
to  apprise  his  wife  that  he  was  satisfied.  Esther,  who  so 
well  knew  his  character,  trembled  at  the  action,  and 
casting  a  glance  at  his  steady  eye,  she  said: 

"And  yet,  Ishmael,  my  blood  and  the  blood  of  my  chil 
dren  is  in  his  veins!  cannot  mercy  be  shown?" 

"Woman,"  he  answered,  sternly,  "when  we  believed 
that  miserable  old  trapper  had  done  this  deed,  nothing 
was  said  of  mercy!" 

Esther  made  no  reply,  but  folding  her  arms  upon  her 
breast  she  sat  silent  and  thoughtful  for  many  minutes. 
Then  she  once  more  turned  her  anxious  gaze  upon  the 
countenance  of  her  husband,  where  she  found  all  passion 
and  care  apparently  buried  in  the  coldest  apathy.  Satis 
fied  now  that  the  fate  of  her  brother  was  sealed,  and 
possibly  conscious  how  well  he  merited  the  punishment 
that  was  meditated,  she  no  longer  thought  of  mediation. 
No  more  words  passed  between  them.  Their  eyes  met 
for  an  instant,  and  then  both  arose  and  walked  in  pro 
found  silence  towards  the  encampment. 

The  squatter  found  his  children  expecting  his  return  in 
the  usual  listless  manner  with  which  they  awaited  all  com 
ing  events.  The  cattle  were  already  herded,  and  the 
horses  in  their  gears  in  readiness  to  proceed,  so  soon  as 
he  should  indicate  that  such  was  his  pleasure.  The  chil 
dren  were  already  in  their  proper  vehicle,  and,  in  short, 
nothing  delayed  the  departure  but  the  absence  of  the 
parents  of  the  wild  brood. 

"Abner, "  said  the  father,  with  the  deliberation  with 
which  all  his  proceedings  were  characterized,  "take  the 
brother  of  your  mother  from  the  wagon,  and  let  him 
stand  on  the  'arth. ' ' 

Abiram  issued  from  his  place  of  concealment,  trem 
bling,  it  is  true,  but  far  from  destitute  of  hopes  as  to  his 
final  success  in  appeasing  the  just  resentment  of  his  kins- 
27 


418  THE  PRAIRIE 

man.  After  throwing  a  glance  around  him  with  the  vain 
wish  of  finding  a  single  countenance  in  which  he  might 
detect  a  solitary  gleam  of  sympathy,  he  endeavored  to 
smother  those  apprehensions  that  were  by  this  time  reviv 
ing  in  their  original  violence,  by  forcing  a  sort  of  friendly 
communication  between  himself  and  the  squatter: 

"The  beasts  are  getting  jaded,  brother,"  he  said;  "and 
as  we  have  made  so  good  a  march  already,  is  it  not  time 
to  camp?  To  my  eye  you  may  go  far  before  a  better  place 
than  this  is  found  to  pass  the  night  in. ' ' 

"  "Pis  well  you  like  it.  Your  tarry  here  ar'  likely  to 
be  long.  My  sons,  draw  nigh  and  listen.  Abiram  White, ' ' 
he  added,  lifting  his  cap,  and  speaking  with  a  solemnity 
and  steadiness  that  rendered  even  his  dull  mien  imposing, 
"you  have  slain  my  first-born,  and  according  to  the  laws 
of  God  and  man  must  you  die ! ' ' 

The  kidnapper  started  at  this  terrible  and  sudden  sen 
tence,  with  the  terror  that  one  would  exhibit  who  unex 
pectedly  found  himself  in  the  grasp  of  a  monster  from 
whose  power  there  was  no  retreat.  Although  filled  with 
the  most  serious  forebodings  of  what  might  be  his  lot,  his 
courage  had  not  been  equal  to  look  his  danger  in  the  face, 
and  with  the  deceitful  consolation  with  which  timid 
tempers  are  apt  to  conceal  their  desperate  condition  from 
themselves,  he  had  rather  courted  a  treacherous  relief  in 
his  cunning,  than  prepared  himself  for  the  worst. 

"Die!"  he  repeated,  in  a  voice  that  scarcely  issued  from 
his  chest;  "a  man  is  surely  safe  among  his  kinsmen?" 

"So  thought  my  boy,"  returned  the  squatter,  motion 
ing  for  the  team  that  contained  his  wife  and  the  girls  to 
proceed,  as  he  very  coolly  examined  the  priming  of  his 
piece.  "By  the  rifle  did  you  destroy  my  son;  it  is  fit 
and  just  that  you  meet  your  end  by  the  same  weapon. ' ' 

Abiram  stared  about  him  with  a  gaze  that  bespoke  an 
unsettled  reason.  He  even  laughed,  as  if  he  would  not 
only  persuade  himself  but  others  that  what  he  heard  was 
some  pleasantry  intended  to  try  his  nerves.  But  nowhere 
did  his  frightful  merriment  meet  with  an  answering  echo. 
All  around  was  solemn  and  still.  The  visages  of  his 
nephews  were  excited,  but  cold  towards  him,  and  that  of 
his  former  confederate  frightfully  determined.  This  very 


THE   PRAIRIE  419 

steadiness  of  mien  was  a  thousand  times  more  alarming 
and  hopeless  than  any  violence  could  have  proved.  The 
latter  might  possibly  have  touched  his  spirit  and  awakened 
resistance,  but  the  former  threw  him  entirely  on  the 
feeble  resources  of  himself. 

"Brother,"  he  said,  in  a  hurried,  unnatural  whisper, 
"did  I  hear  you?" 

"My  words  are  plain,  Abiram  White;  thou  hast  done 
murder,  and  for  the  same  must  thou  die!" 

"Esther!  sister,  sister,  will  you  leave  me!  Oh,  sister! 
do  you  hear  my  call?" 

"I  hear  one  speak  from  the  grave!"  returned  the  husky 
tones  of  Esther,  as  the  wagon  passed  the  spot  where  the 
criminal  stood.  "It  is  the  voice  of  my  first-born,  calling 
aloud  for  justice!  God  have  mercy,  God  have  mercy  on 
your  soul!" 

The  team  slowly  pursued  its  route,  and  the  deserted 
Abiram  now  found  himself  deprived  of  the  smallest  ves 
tige  of  hope.  Still  he  could  not  summon  fortitude  to 
meet  his  death,  and  had  not  his  limbs  refused  to  aid  him 
he  would  yet  have  attempted  to  fly.  Then,  by  a  sudden 
revolution  from  hope  to  utter  despair,  he  fell  upon  his 
knees,  and  commenced  a  prayer  in  which  cries  for  mercy 
to  God  and  to  his  kinsman  were  wildly  and  blasphemously 
mingled.  The  sons  of  Ishmael  turned  away  in  horror  at 
the  disgusting  spectacle,  and  even  the  stern  nature  of  the 
squatter  began  to  bend  before  so  abject  misery. 

"May  that  which  you  ask  of  Him  be  granted,"  he  said; 
"but  a  father  can  never  forget  a  murdered  child." 

He  was  answered  by  the  most  humble  appeals  for  time. 
A  week,  a  day,  an  hour,  were  each  implored  with  an 
earnestness  commensurate  to  the  value  they  receive  when 
a  whole  life  is  compressed  into  their  short  duration.  The 
squatter  was  troubled,  and  at  length  he  yielded  in  part 
to  the  petitions  of  the  criminal.  His  final  purpose  was 
not  altered,  though  he  changed  the  means.  "Abner,"  he 
said,  "mount  the  rock  and  look  on  every  side  that  we  may 
be  sure  none  are  nigh." 

While  his  nephew  was  obeying  this  order,  gleams  of 
reviving  hope  were  seen  shooting  across  the  quivering 
features  of  the  kidnapper.  The  report  was  favorable, 


420  THE  PRAIRIE 

nothing  having  life,  the  retiring  teams  excepted,  was  to 
be  seen.  A  messenger  was,  however,  coming  from  the 
latter  in  great  apparent  haste.  Ishmael  awaited  its  ar 
rival.  He  received  from  the  hands  of  one  of  his  wonder 
ing  and  frighted  girls  a  fragment  of  that  book  which 
Esther  had  preserved  with  so  much  care.  The  squatter 
beckoned  his  child  away,  and  placed  the  leaves  in  the 
hands  of  the  criminal. 

"Esther  has  sent  you  this,"  he  said,  "that  in  your  last 
moments  you  may  remember  God." 

"Bless  her,  bless  her!  a  good  and  kind  sister  has  she 
been  to  me!  But  time  must  be  given  that  I  may  read; 
time,  my  brother,  time!" 

"Time  shall  not  be  wanting.  You  shall  be  your  own 
executioner,  and  this  miserable  office  shall  pass  away 
from  my  hands. ' ' 

Ishmael  proceeded  to  put  his  new  resolution  in  force. 
The  immediate  apprehensions  of  the  kidnapper  were 
quieted  by  an  assurance  that  he  might  yet  live  for  days, 
though  his  punishment  was  inevitable.  A  reprieve  to 
one  abject  and  wretched  as  Abiram,  temporarily  produced 
the  same  effects  as  a  pardon.  He  was  even  foremost  in 
assisting  in  the  appalling  arrangements,  and  of  all  the 
actors  in  that  solemn  tragedy,  his  voice  alone  was  face 
tious  and  jocular. 

A  thin  shelf  of  the  rock  projected  beneath  one  of  the 
ragged  arms  of  the  willow.  It  was  many  feet  from  the 
ground,  and  admirably  adapted  to  the  purpose  which,  in 
fact,  its  appearance  had  suggested.  On  this  little  plat 
form  the  criminal  was  placed,  his  arms  bound  at  the  el 
bows  behind  his  back,  beyond  the  possibility  of  liberation, 
with  a  proper  cord  leading  from  his  neck  to  the  limb  of 
the  tree.  The  latter  was  so  placed,  that  when  suspended 
the  body  could  find  no  foothold.  The  fragment  of  the 
Bible  was  placed  in  his  hands,  and  he  was  left  to  seek  his 
consolation  as  he  might  from  its  pages. 

"And  now,  Abiram  White,"  said  the  squatter,  when 
his  sons  had  descended  from  completing  this  arrangement, 
"I  give  you  a  last  and  solemn  asking.  Death  is  before 
you  in  two  shapes.  With  this  rifle  can  your  misery  be 
cut  short,  or  by  that  cord,  sooner  or  later,  must  you  meet 
your  end." 


THE   PRAIRIE  421 

"Let  me  yet  live!  Oh,  Ishmael,  you  know  not  how 
sweet  life  is  when  the  last  moment  draws  so  nigh!" 

"  'Tis  done,"  said  the  squatter,  motioning  for  his 
assistants  to  follow  the  herds  and  teams.  "And  now, 
miserable  man,  that  it  may  prove  a  consolation  to  your 
end,  I  forgive  you  my  wrongs  and  leave  you  to  your 
God." 

Ishmael  turned  and  pursued  his  way  across  the  plain  at 
his  ordinary  sluggish  and  ponderous  gait.  Though  his 
head  was  bent  a  little  towards  the  earth,  his  inactive 
mind  did  not  prompt  him  to  cast  a  look  behind.  Once, 
indeed,  he  thought  he  heard  his  name  called  in  tones  that 
were  a  little  smothered,  but  they  failed  to  make  him 
pause. 

At  the  spot  where  he  and  Esther  had  conferred  he 
reached  the  boundary  of  the  visible  horizon  from  the 
rock.  Here  he  stopped,  and  ventured  a  glance  in  the 
direction  of  the  place  he  had  just  quitted.  The  sun  was 
near  dipping  into  the  plains  beyond,  and  its  last  rays 
lighted  the  naked  branches  of  the  willow.  He  saw  the 
ragged  outline  of  the  whole  drawn  against  the  glowing 
heavens,  and  he  even  traced  the  still  upright  form  of  the 
being  he  had  left  to  his  misery.  Turning  the  roll  of  the 
swell,  he  proceeded  with  the  feelings  of  one  who  had 
been  suddenly  and  violently  separated  from  a  recent  con 
federate  forever. 

Within  a  mile  the  squatter  overtook  his  teams.  His 
sons  had  found  a  place  suited  to  the  encampment  for  the 
night,  and  merely  awaited  his  approach  to  confirm  their 
choice.  Few  words  were  necessary  to  express  his  acquies 
cence.  Everything  passed  in  a  silence  more  general  and 
remarkable  than  ever.  The  chidings  of  Esther  were  not 
heard  among  her  young,  or,  if  heard,  they  were  more  in 
the  tones  of  softened  admonition  than  in  her  usual  up 
braiding  key. 

No  questions  nor  explanations  passed  between  the  hus 
band  and  his  wife.  It  was  only  as  the  latter  was  about 
to  withdraw  among  her  children  for  the  night,  that  the 
former  saw  her  taking  a  furtive  look  at  the  pan  of  his 
rifle.  Ishmael  bade  his  sons  seek  their  rest,  announcing 
his  intention  to  look  to  the  safety  of  the  camp  in  person. 


422  THE   PRAIRIE 

When  all  was  still,  he  walked  out  upon  the  prairie  with 
a  sort  of  sensation  that  he  found  his  breathing  among  the 
tents  too  straitened.  The  night  was  well  adapted  to 
heighten  the  feelings  which  had  been  created  by  the 
events  of  the  day. 

The  wind  had  risen  with  the  moon,  and  it  was  occa 
sionally  sweeping  over  the  plain  in  a  manner  that  made 
it  not  difficult  for  the  sentinel  to  imagine  strange  and  un 
earthly  sounds  were  mingling  in  the  blasts.  Yielding  to 
the  extraordinary  impulses  of  which  he  was  the  subject, 
he  cast  a  glance  around  to  see  that  all  were  slumbering  in 
security,  and  then  he  strayed  towards  the  swell  of  land 
already  mentioned.  Here  the  squatter  found  himself  at 
a  point  that  commanded  a  view  to  the  east  and  to  the 
west.  Light  fleecy  clouds  were  driving  before  the  moon, 
which  was  cold  and  watery,  though  there  were  moments 
when  its  placid  rays  were  shed  from  clear  blue  fields, 
seeming  to  soften  objects  to  its  own  mild  loveliness. 

For  the  first  time,  in  a  life  of  so  much  wild  adventure, 
Ishmael  felt  a  keen  sense  of  solitude.  The  naked  prairies 
began  to  assume  the  forms  of  illimitable  and  dreary 
wastes,  and  the  rushing  of  the  wind  sounded  like  the 
whisperings  of  the  dead.  It  was  not  long  before  he 
thought  a  shriek  was  borne  past  him  on  a  blast.  It  did 
not  sound  like  a  call  from  earth,  but  it  swept  frightfully 
through  the  upper  air,  mingled  with  the  hoarse  accom 
paniment  of  the  wind.  The  teeth  of  the  squatter  were 
compressed  and  his  huge  hand  grasped  the  rifle,  as  if  it 
would  crush  the  metal.  Then  came  a  lull,  a  fresher  blast, 
and  a  cry  of  horror  that  seemed  to  have  been  uttered  at 
the  very  portals  of  his  ears.  A  sort  of  echo  burst  invol 
untarily  from  his  own  lips,  as  men  shout  under  unnatural 
excitement,  and  throwing  his  rifle  across  his  shoulder,  he 
proceeded  towards  the  rock  with  the  strides  of  a  giant. 

It  was  not  often  that  the  blood  of  Ishmael  moved  at  the 
rate  with  which  the  fluid  circulates  in  the  veins  of  ordi 
nary  men;  but  now  he  felt  it  ready  to  rush  from  every 
pore  in  his  body.  The  animal  was  aroused,  in  his  most 
t  energies.  Ever  as  he  advanced  he  heard  those 
shrieks,  which  sometimes  seemed  ringing  among  the 
louds,  and  sometimes  passed  so  nigh,  as  to  appear  to 


THE   PRAIRIE  423 

brush  the  earth.  At  length  there  came  a  cry  in  which 
there  could  be  no  delusion,  or  to  which  the  imagination 
could  lend  no  horror.  It  appeared  to  fill  each  cranny  of 
the  air,  as  the  visible  horizon  is  often  charged  to  fulness 
by  one  dazzling  flash  of  the  electric  fluid.  The  name  of 
God  was  distinctly  audible,  but  it  was  awfully  and  blas 
phemously  blended  with  sounds  that  may  not  be  repeated. 
The  squatter  stopped,  and  for  a  moment  he  covered  his 
ears  with  his  hands.  When  he  withdrew  the  latter,  a  low 
and  husky  voice  at  his  elbow  asked  in  smothered  tones: 

"Ishmael,  my  man,  heard  ye  nothing?" 

"Hist!"  returned  the  husband,  laying  a  powerful  arm 
on  Esther,  without  manifesting  the  smallest  surprise  at 
the  unlooked-for  presence  of  his  wife.  "Hist,  woman! 
if  you  have  the  fear  of  Heaven,  be  still!" 

A  profound  silence  succeeded.  Though  the  wind  rose 
and  fell  as  before,  its  rushing  was  no  longer  mingled 
with  those  fearful  cries.  The  sounds  were  imposing  and 
solemn,  but  it  was  the  solemnity  and  majesty  of  nature. 

"Let  us  go  on,"  said  Esther;   "all  is  hushed." 

"Woman,  what  has  brought  you  here?"  demanded  her 
husband,  whose  blood  had  returned  into  its  former  chan 
nels,  and  whose  thoughts  had  already  lost  a  portion  of 
their  excitement. 

"Ishmael,  he  murdered  our  first-born;  but  it  is  not 
meet  that  the  son  of  my  mother  should  lie  upon  the 
ground,  like  the  carrion  of  a  dog." 

"Follow!"  returned  the  squatter,  again  grasping  his 
rifle,  and  striding  towards  the  rock.  The  distance  was 
still  considerable;  and  their  approach,  as  they  drew  nigh 
the  place  of  execution,  was  moderated  by  awe.  Many 
minutes  had  passed  before  they  reached  a  spot  where  they 
might  distinguish  the  outlines  of  the  dusky  objects. 

"Where  have  you  put  the  body?"  whispered  Esther. 
"See,  here  are  pick  and  spade,  that  a  brother  of  mine 
may  sleep  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth!" 

The  moon  broke  from  behind  a  mass  of  clouds,  and  the 
eye  of  the  woman  was  enabled  to  follow  the  finger  of 
Ishmael.  It  pointed  to  a  human  form'  swinging  in  the 
wind,  beneath  the  ragged  and  shining  arm  of  the  willow. 
Esther  bent  her  head  and  veiled  her  eyes  from  the  sight. 


424  THE   PRAIRIE 

But  Ishmael  drewnigher,  and  long  contemplated  his  work 
in  awe  though  not  in  compunction.  The  leaves  of  the 
sacred  book  were  scattered  on  the  ground,  and  even  a 
fragment  of  the  shelf  had  been  displaced  by  the  kidnapper 
in  his  agony.  But  all  was  now  in  the  stillness  of  death. 
The  grim  and  convulsed  countenance  of  the  victim  was  at 
times  brought  full  into  the  light  of  the  moon,  and  again 
as  the  wind  lulled,  the  fatal  rope  drew  a  dark  line  across 
its  bright  disk.  The  squatter  raised  his  rifle  with  ex 
treme  care,  and  fired.  The  cord  was  cut,  and  the  body 
came  lumbering  to  the  earth,  a  heavy  and  insensible  mass. 

Until  now  Esther  had  not  moved  nor  spoken.  But  her 
hand  was  not  slow  to  assist  in  the  labor  of  the  hour.  The 
grave  was  soon  dug.  It  was  instantly  made  to  receive  its 
miserable  tenant.  As  the  lifeless  form  descended,  Esther, 
who  sustained  the  head,  looked  up  into  the  face  of  her 
husband  with  an  expression  of  anguish,  and  said: 

"Ishmael,  my  man,  it  is  very  terrible!  I  cannot  kiss 
the  corpse  of  my  father's  child!" 

The  squatter  laid  his  broad  hand  on  the  bosom  of  the 
dead,  and  said: 

"Abiram  White,  we  all  have  need  of  mercy;  from  my 
soul  do  I  forgive  you!  May  God  in  heaven  have  pity  on 
your  sins!" 

The  woman  bowed  her  face,  and  imprinted  her  lips  long 
and  fervently  on  the  pallid  forehead  of  her  brother. 
After  this  came  the  falling  clods  and  all  the  solemn  sounds 
of  filling  a  grave.  Esther  lingered  on  her  knees,  and 
Ishmael  stood  uncovered  while  the  woman  muttered  a 
prayer.  All  was  then  finished. 

On  the  following  morning  the  teams  and  herds  of  the 
squatter  were  seen  pursuing  their  course  towards  the 
settlements.  As  they  approached  the  confines  of  society 
the  train  was  blended  among  a  thousand  others.  Though 
some  of  the  numerous  descendants  of  this  peculiar  pair 
were  reclaimed  from  their  lawless  and  semi -barbarous 
lives,  the  principals  of  the  family  themselves  were  never 
heard  of  more. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

"No  leave  take  I;  for  I  will  ride, 
As  far  as  land  will  let  me,  by  your  side.  " 

— SHAKESPEAHE. 

THE  passage  of  the  Pawnee  to  his  village  was  interrupted 
by  no  scene  of  violence.  His  vengeance  had  been  as  com 
plete  as  it  was  summary.  Not  even  a  solitary  scout  of  the 
Sioux  was  left  on  the  hunting-grounds  he  was  obliged  to 
traverse,  and  of  course  the  journey  of  Middleton's  party 
was  as  peaceful  as  if  made  in  the  bosom  of  the  States. 
The  marches  were  timed  to  meet  the  weakness  of  the 
females.  In  short,  the  victors  seemed  to  have  lost  every 
trace  of  ferocity  with  their  success,  and  appeared  disposed 
to  consult  the  most  trifling  of  the  wants  of  that  engrossing 
people  who  were  daily  encroaching  on  their  rights,  and 
reducing  the  red-men  of  the  west  from  their  state  of  proud 
independence  to  the  condition  of  fugitives  and  wanderers. 

Our  limits  will  not  permit  a  detail  of  the  triumphal  entry 
of  the  conquerors.  The  exultation  of  the  tribe  was  pro 
portioned  to  its  previous  despondency.  Mothers  boasted 
of  the  honorable  deaths  of  their  sons;  wives  proclaimed 
the  honor  and  pointed  to  the  scars  of  their  husbands;  and 
Indian  girls  rewarded  the  young  braves  with  songs  of 
triumph.  The  trophies  of  their  fallen  enemies  were  ex 
hibited,  as  conquered  standards  are  displayed  in  more 
civilized  regions.  The  deeds  of  former  warriors  were  re 
counted  by  the  aged  men,  and  declared  to  be  eclipsed  by 
the  glory  of  this  victory.  While  Hard-Heart  himself,  so 
distinguished  for  his  exploits  from  boyhood  to  that  hour, 
was  unanimously  proclaimed  the  worthiest  chief  and  the 
stoutest  brave  that  the  Wahcondah  had  ever  bestowed  on 
his  most  favored  children,  the  Pawnees  of  the  Loups. 

Notwithstanding  the  comparative  security  in  which 
Middleton  found  his  recovered  treasure,  he  was  not  sorry 
to  see  his  faithful  and  sturdy  artillerists  standing  among 

425 


426  THE   PRAIRIE 

the  throng  as  he  entered  in  che  wild  train,  and  lifting 
their  voices  in  a  martial  shout,  to  greet  his  return.  The 
presence  of  this  force,  small  as  it  was,  removed  every 
shadow  of  uneasiness  from  his  mind.  It  made  him  master 
of  his  movements,  gave  him  dignity  and  importance  in  the 
eyes  of  his  new  friends,  and  would  enable  him  to  overcome 
the  difficulties  of  the  wide  region  which  still  lay  between 
the  village  of  the  Pawnees  and  the  nearest  fortress  of  his 
countrymen.  A  lodge  was  yielded  to  the  exclusive  pos 
session  of  Inez  and  Ellen;  and  even  Paul,  when  he  saw  an 
armed  sentinel  in  the  uniform  of  the  States  pacing  before 
its  entrance,  was  content  to  stray  among  the  dwellings 
of  the  "red-skins,"  prying  with  but  little  reserve  into 
their  domestic  economy,  commenting  sometimes  jocularly, 
sometimes  gravely,  and  always  freely,  on  their  different 
expedients,  or  endeavoring  to  make  the  wondering  house 
wives  comprehend  his  quaint  explanations  of  what  he 
conceived  to  be  the  better  customs  of  the  whites. 

This  inquiring  and  troublesome  spirit  found  no  imitators 
among  the  Indians.  The  delicacy  and  reserve  of  Hard- 
Heart  were  communicated  to  his  people.  When  every 
attention  that  could  be  suggested  by  their  simple  manners 
and  narrow  wants  had  been  fulfilled,  no  intrusive  foot 
presumed  to  approach  the  cabins  devoted  to  the  service  of 
the  strangers.  They  were  left  to  seek  their  repose  in  the 
manner  which  most  comported  with  their  habits  and 
inclinations.  The  songs  and  rejoicings  of  the  tribe,  how 
ever,  ran  far  into  the  night,  during  the  deepest  hours  of 
which  the  voice  bf  more  than  one  warrior  was  heard, 
recounting,  from  the  top  of  his  lodge,  the  deeds  of  his 
people  and  the  glory  of  their  triumphs. 

Everything  having  life,  notwithstanding  the  excesses  of 
the  night,  was  abroad  with  the  appearance  of  the  sun. 
The  expression  of  exultation,  which  had  so  lately  been 
seen  on  every  countenance,  was  now  changed  to  one  better 
suited  to  the  feeling  of  the  moment.  It  was  understood 
by  all  that  the  pale  faces,  who  had  befriended  their  chief, 
were  about  to  take  their  final  leave  of  the  tribe.  The 
soldiers  of  Middleton,  in  anticipation  of  his  arrival,  had 

rgamed  with  an  unsuccessful  trader  for  the  use  of  his 
boat,  which  lay  in  the  stream  ready  to  receive  its  cargo, 


THE   PRAIRIE  427 

and  nothing  remained  to  complete  the  arrangements  for 
the  long  journey. 

Middleton  did  not  see  this  moment  arrive  entirely  with 
out  distrust.  The  admiration  with  which  Hard-Heart 
regarded  Inez  had  not  escaped  his  jealous  eye,  any  more 
than  had  the  lawless  wishes  of  Mahtoree.  He  knew  the 
consummate  manner  in  which  a  savage  could  conceal  his 
designs,  and  he  felt  that  it  would  be  a  culpable  weakness 
to  be  unprepared  for  the  worst.  Secret  instructions  were 
therefore  given  to  his  men,  while  the  preparations  they 
made  were  properly  masked  behind  the  show  of  military 
parade,  with  which  it  was  intended  to  signalize  their 
departure. 

The  conscience  of  the  young  soldier  reproached  him, 
when  he  saw  the  whole  tribe  accompanying  his  party  to 
the  margin  of  the  stream,  with  unarmed  hands  and  sor 
rowful  countenances.  They  gathered  in  a  circle  around 
the  strangers  and  their  chief,  and  became  not  only  peace 
ful,  but  highly  interested  observers  of  what  was  passing. 
As  it  was  evident  that  Hard-Heart  intended  to  speak,  the 
former  stopped,  and  manifested  their  readiness  to  listen, 
the  trapper  performing  the  office  of  interpreter.  Then 
the  young  chief  addressed  his  people,  in  the  usual  meta 
phorical  language  of  an  Indian.  He  commenced  by  allud 
ing  to  the  antiquity  and  renown  of  his  own  nation.  He 
spoke  of  their  successes  in  the  hunts  and  on  the  war-path; 
of  the  manner  in  which  they  had  always  known  how  to  de 
fend  their  rights  and  to  chastise  their  enemies.  After  he 
had  said  enough  to  manifest  his  respect  for  the  greatness 
of  the  Loups,  and  to  satisfy  the  pride  of  the  listeners,  he 
made  a  sudden  transition  to  the  race  of  whom  the  strangers 
were  members.  He  compared  their  countless  numbers  to 
the  flights  of  migratory  birds  in  the  season  of  blossoms, 
or  in  the  fall  of  the  year.  With  a  delicacy  that  none  knew 
better  how  to  practise  than  an  Indian  warrior,  he  made 
no  direct  mention  of  the  rapacious  tempers  that  so  many 
of  them  had  betrayed  in  their  dealings  with  the  red-men. 
Feeling  that  the  sentiment  of  distrust  was  strongly  en 
grafted  in  the  tempers  of  his  tribe,  he  rather  endeavored 
to  soothe  any  just  resentment  they  might  entertain,  by 
indirect  excuses  and  apologies.  He  reminded  the  listeners 


428  THE  PRAIRIE 

that  even  the  Pawnee  Loups  had  been  obliged  to  chase 
many  unworthy  individuals  from  their  villages.  The 
Wahcondah  sometimes  veiled  His  countenance  from  a  red- 
man.  No  doubt  the  Great  Spirit  of  the  pale  faces  often 
looked  darkly  on  His  children.  Such  as  were  abandoned 
to  the  worker  of  evil  could  never  be  brave  or  virtuous,  let 
the  color  of  the  skin  be  what  it  might.  He  bade  his 
young  men  look  at  the  hands  of  the  Big-knives.  They 
were  not  empty,  like  those  of  hungry  beggars.  Neither 
were  they  filled  with  goods,  like  those  of  knavish  traders. 
They  were,  like  themselves,  warriors,  arid  they  carried 
arms  which  they  knew  well  how  to  use— they  were  worthy 
to  be  called  brothers! 

Then  he  directed  the  attention  of  all  to  the  chief  of  the 
strangers.  He  was  a  son  of  their  great  white  father.  He 
had  not  come  upon  the  prairies  to  frighten  the  buffaloes 
from  their  pastures,  or  to  seek  the  game  of  the  Indians. 
Wicked  men  had  robbed  him  of  one  of  his  wives;  no  doubt 
she  was  the  most  obedient,  the  meekest,  the  loveliest  of 
them  all.  They  had  only  to  open  their  eyes  to  see  that 
his  words  must  be  true.  Now  that  the  white  chief  had 
found  his  wife,  he  was  about  to  return  to  his  own  people 
in  peace.  He  would  tell  them  that  the  Pawnees  were  just, 
and  there  would  be  a  line  of  wampum  between  the  two 
nations.  Let  all  his  people  wish  the  strangers  a  safe  re 
turn  to  their  towns.  The  warriors  of  the  Loups  knew 
both  how  to  receive  their  enemies,  and  how  to  clear  the 
briers  from  the  path  of  their  friends. 

The  heart  of  Middleton  beat  quick  as  the  young  partisan1 
alluded  to  the  charms  of  Inez,  and  for  an  instant  he  cast 
an  impatient  glance  at  his  little  line  of  artillerists;  but 
the  chief  from  that  moment  appeared  to  forget  he  had  ever 
seen  so  fair  a  being.  His  feelings,  if  he  had  any  on  the 
subject,  were  veiled  behind  the  cold  mask  of  Indian  self- 
denial.  He  took  each  warrior  by  the  hand,  not  forgetting 
the  meanest  soldier,  but  his  cold  and  collected  eye  never 


The  Americans  and  the  Indians  have  adopted  several  words,  which  each  believe 
ecuhar  to  the  languatce  of  the  others.    Thus  "squaw,  "  "papoose,  "  or  child, 
wigwam,  etc.,  etc.,  though  it  is  doubtful  whether  they  belonged  at  all  to  any 
Man  dialect,  are  much  used  by  both  white  and  red  men  in  cheir  intercourse, 
any  words  are  denved  from  the  French,  in  this  species  of  prairie  nomaic.    Par 
tisan,  brave,  etc.,  are  of  the  number. 


THE   PRAIRIE  429 

wandered  for  an  instant  towards  either  of  the  females. 
Arrangements  had  been  made  for  their  comfort,  with  a 
prodigality  and  care  that  had  not  failed  to  excite  some 
surprise  in  his  young  men,  but  in  no  other  particular  did 
he  shock  their  manly  pride,  by  betraying  any  solicitude  in 
behalf  of  the  weaker  sex. 

The  leave-taking  was  general  and  imposing.  Each  male 
Pawnee  was  sedulous  to  omit  no  one  of  the  strange  war 
riors  in  his  attentions,  and  of  course  the  ceremony  occupied 
some  time.  The  only  exception,  and  that  was  not  general, 
was  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Battius.  Not  a  few  of  the  young 
men,  it  is  true,  were  indifferent  about  lavishing  civilities 
on  one  of  so  doubtful  a  profession,  but  the  worthy  natur 
alist  found  some  consolation  in  the  more  matured  polite 
ness  of  the  old  men,  who  had  inferred,  that  though  not  of 
much  use  in  war  the  medicine  of  the  Big-knives  might 
possibly  be  made  serviceable  in  peace. 

When  all  of  Middleton's  party  had  embarked,  the  trap 
per  lifted  a  small  bundle,  which  had  lain  at  his  feet  dur 
ing  the  previous  proceedings,  and  whistling  Hector  to  his 
side,  he  was  the  last  to  take  his  seat.  The  artillerists  gave 
the  usual  cheers,  which  were  answered  by  a  shout  from 
the  tribe,  and  then  the  boat  was  shoved  into  the  current, 
and  began  to  glide  swiftly  down  its  stream. 

A  long  and  a  musing,  if  not  a  melancholy  silence,  suc 
ceeded  this  departure.  It  was  first  brolcen  by  the  trapper, 
whose  regret  was  not  the  least  visible  in  his  dejected  and 
sorrowful  eye: 

"They  are  a  valiant  and  an  honest  tribe,"  he  said; 
"that  will  I  say  boldly  in  their  favor;  and  second  only  do 
I  take  them  to  be  to  that  once  mighty  but  now  scattered 
people,  the  Delawares  of  the  hills.  Ah's  me,  captain,  if 
you  had  seen  as  much  good  and  evil  as  I  have  seen  in  these 
nations  of  red-skins,  you  would  know  of  how  much  value 
was  a  brave  and  simple-minded  warrior.  I  know  that 
some  are  to  be  found,  who  both  think  and  say  that  an 
Indian  is  but  little  better  than  the  beasts  of  these  naked 
plains.  But  it  is  needful  to  be  honest  in  one's  self,  to  be 
a  fitting  judge  of  honesty  in  others.  No  doubt,  no  doubt, 
they  know  their  enemies,  and  little  do  they  care  to  show 
to  such  any  great  confidence  or  love. ' ' 


430  THE   PRAIRIE 

"It  is  the  way  of  man,"  returned  the  captain;  "and  it 
is  probable  they  are  not  wanting  in  any  of  his  natural 
qualities." 

"No,  no;  it  is  little  that  they  want,  that  natur'  has 
had  to  give.  But  as  little  does  he  know  of  the  temper  of 
a  red-skin,  who  has  seen  but  one  Indian,  or  one  tribe,  as 
he  knows  of  the  color  of  feathers  who  has  only  looked  upon 
a  crow.  Now,  friend  steersman,  just  give  the  boat  a 
sheer  towards  yonder  low  sandy  point,  and  a  favor  will  be 
granted  at  a  short  asking." 

"Forwhat?"  demanded  Middleton;  "we  are  now  in  the 
swiftest  of  the  current,  and  by  drawing  to  the  shore  we 
shall  lose  the  force  of  the  stream." 

"Your  tarry  will  not  be  long,"  returned  the  old  man, 
applying  his  own  hand  to  the  execution  of  that  which  he 
had  requested.  The  oarsmen  had  seen  enough  of  his  in 
fluence  with  their  leader  not  to  dispute  his  wishes,  and 
before  time  was  given  for  further  discussion  on  the  sub 
ject,  the  bow  of  the  boat  had  touched  the  land.  ' '  Captain, ' ' 
resumed  the  other,  untying  his  little  wallet  with  great 
deliberation,  and  even  in  a  manner  to  show  he  found  sat 
isfaction  in  the  delay,  "I  wish  to  offer  you  a  small  matter 
of  trade.  No  great  bargain,  mayhap;  but  still  the  best 
that  one,  of  whose  hand  the  skill  of  the  rifle  has  taken 
leave,  and  who  has  become  no  better  than  a  miserable 
trapper,  can  offer  before  we  part. ' ' 

"Part!"  was  echoed  from  every  mouth,  among  those 
who  had  so  recently  shared  his  dangers,  and  profited  by 
his  care. 

"What  the  devil,  old  trapper,  do  you  mean  to  foot  it  to 
the  settlements,  when  here  is  a  boat  that  will  float  the 
distance  in  half  the  time  that  the  jackass  the  Doctor  has 
given  the  Pawnee,  could  trot  along  the  same?" 

'Settlements,  boy!  It  is  long  sin'  I  took  my  leave  of 
the  waste  and  wickedness  of  the  settlements  and  the  vil 
lages.  If  I  live  in  a  clearing,  here,  it  is  one  of  the  Lord's 
making,  and  I  have  no  hard  thoughts  on  the  matter;  but 
never  again  shall  I  be  seen  running  wilfully  into  the 
danger  of  immoralities." 

"I  had  not  thought  of  parting,"  answered  Middleton, 
endeavoring  to  seek  some  relief  from  the  uneasiness  he 


THE   PRAIRIE  431 

felt,  by  turning  his  eyes  on  the  sympathizing  countenances 
of  his  friends;  "on  the  contrary,  I  had  hoped  and  believed 
that  you  would  have  accompanied  us  below,  where,  I  give 
you  a  sacred  pledge,  nothing  shall  be  wanting  to  make 
your  days  comfortable." 

"Yes,  lad,  yes;  you  would  do  your  endeavors;  but  what 
are  the  strivings  of  man  against  the  working  of  the  devil? 
Ay,  if  kind  offers  and  good  wishes  could  have  done  the 
thing,  I  might  have  been  a  congressman,  or  perhaps  a 
governor,  years  agone.  Your  gran'ther  wished  the  same, 
and  there  are  them  still  living  in  the  Otsego  mountains, 
as  I  hope,  who  would  gladly  have  given  me  a  palace  for 
my  dwelling.  But  what  are  riches  without  content?  My 
time  must  now  be  short,  at  any  rate,  and  I  hold  it's  no 
mighty  sin  for  one  who  acted  his  part  honestly  near  ninety 
winters  and  summers,  to  wish  to  pass  the  few  hours  that 
remain  in  comfort.  If  you  think  I  have  done  wrong  in 
coming  thus  far  to  quit  you  again,  captain,  I  will  own  the 
reason  of  the  act,  without  shame  or  backwardness.  Though 
I  have  seen  so  much  of  the  wilderness,  it  is  not  to  be  gain 
said,  that  my  feelings,  as  well  as  my  skin,  are  white. 
Now  it  would  not  be  a  fitting  spectacle  that  yonder  Pawnee 
Loup  should  look  upon  the  weakness  of  an  old  warrior,  if 
weakness  he  should  happen  to  show  in  parting  forever 
from  those  he  has  reason  to  love,  though  he  may  not  set 
his  heart  so  strongly  on  them  as  to  wish  to  go  into  the 
settlements  in  their  company." 

"Harkee,  old  trapper,"  said  Paul,  clearing  his  throat 
with  a  desperate  effort,  as  if  determined  to  give  his  voice 
a  clear  exit;  "I  have  just  one  bargain  to  make,  since  you 
talk  of  trading,  which  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  this. 
I  offer  you,  as  my  side  of  the  business,  one  half  of  my 
shanty,  nor  do  I  much  care  if  it  be  the  biggest  half;  the 
sweetest  and  the  purest  honey  that  can  be  made  of  the 
wild  locust;  always  enough  to  eat,  with  now  and  then  a 
mouthful  of  venison,  or,  for  that  matter,  a  morsel  of  buf 
falo's  hump,  seeing  that  I  intend  to  push  my  acquaintance 
with  the  animal,  and  as  good  and  as  tidy  cooking  as  can 
come  from  the  hands  of  one  like  Ellen  Wade,  here,  who 
will  shortly  be  Nelly  somebody-else,  and  altogether  such 
general  treatment  as  a  decent  man  might  be  supposed  to 


432  THE  PRAIRIE 

pay  to  his  best  friend,  or,  for  that  matter,  to  his  own 
father;  in  return  for  the  same,  you  ar'  to  give  us  at  odd 
moments  some  of  your  ancient  traditions,  perhaps  a  little 
wholesome  advice  on  occasions,  in  small  quantities  at  a 
time,  and  as  much  of  your  agreeable  company  as  you 
please." 

"It  is  well — it  is  well,  boy,"  returned  the  old  man, 
fumbling  at  his  wallet;  "honestly  offered,  and  not  un- 
thankfully  declined — but  it  cannot  be;  no,  it  can  never 
be." 

"Venerable  venator, "  said  Dr.  Battius;  "there  are  ob 
ligations  which  every  man  owes  to  society  and  to  human 
nature.  It  is  time  that  you  should  return  to  yoar  country 
men,  to  deliver  up  some  of  those  stores  of  experimental 
knowledge  that  you  have  doubtless  obtained  by  so  long  a 
sojourn  in  the  wilds,  which,  however  they  may  be  cor 
rupted  by  preconceived  opinions,  will  prove  acceptable 
bequests  to  those  whom,  as  you  say,  you  must  shortly 
leave  forever. ' ' 

"Friend  physician,"  returned  the  trapper,  looking  the 
other  steadily  in  the  face,  "as  it  would  be  no  easy  matter 
to  judge  of  the  temper  of  the  rattler  by  considering  the 
fashions  of  the  moose,  so  it  would  be  hard  to  speak  of  the 
usefulness  of  one  man  by  thinking  too  much  of  the  deeds 
of  another.  You  have  your  gifts  like  others,  I  suppose, 
and  little  do  I  wish  to  disturb  them.  But  as  to  me,  the 
Lord  has  made  me  for  a  doer  and  not  a  talker,  and  there 
fore  do  I  consider  it  no  harm  to  shut  my  ears  to  your 
invitation." 

"It  is  enough,"  interrupted  Middleton;  "I  have  seen 
and  heard  so  much  of  this  extraordinary  man,  as  to  know 
that  persuasions  will  not  change  his  purpose.  First,  we 

11  hear  your  request,  my  friend,  and  then  we  will  con 
sider  what  may  be  best  done  for  your  advantage." 

"It  is  a  small  matter,  captain,"  returned  the  old  man, 
succeeding  at  length  in  opening  his  bundle.  "A  small  and 
trifling  matter  is  it,  to  what  I  once  used  to  offer  in  the 
way  of  bargain;  but  then  it  is  the  best  I  have,  and  therein 
not  to  be  despised.  Here  are  the  skins  of  four  beavers, 
that  I  took,  it  might  be  a  month  afore  we  met,  and  here 
is  another  from  a  raccoon,  that  is  of  no  great  matter  to 


THE   PRAIRIE  433 

be  sure,  but  which  may  serve  to  make  weight  atween 
us." 

"And  what  do  you  propose  to  do  with  them?" 

"I  offer  them  in  lawful  barter.  Them  knaves  the  Sioux 
— the  Lord  forgive  me  for  ever  believing  it  was  the  Kon- 
zas! — have  stolen  the  best  of  my  traps,  and  driven  me 
altogether  to  make-shift  inventions,  which  might  foretell 
a  dreary  winter  for  me,  should  my  time  stretch  into  an 
other  season.  I  wish  you  therefore  to  take  the  skins,  and 
to  offer  them  to  some  of  the  trappers  you  will  not  fail  to 
meet  below,  in  exchange  for  a  few  traps,  and  to  send  the 
same  into  the  Pawnee  village  in  my  name.  Be  careful  to 
have  my  mark  painted  on  them;  a  letter  N,  with  a  hound's 
ear,  and  the  lock  of  a  rifle.  There  is  no  red-skin  who  will 
then  dispute  my  right.  For  all  which  trouble  I  have  little 
more  to  offer  than  my  thanks,  unless  my  friend,  the  bee- 
hunter  here,  will  accept  of  the  raccoon,  and  take  on  him 
self  the  special  charge  of  the  whole  matter." 

'  'If  I  do  may  I  be —  '  The  mouth  of  Paul  was  stopped 
by  the  hand  of  Ellen,  and  he  was  obliged  to  swallow  the 
rest  of  the  sentence,  which  he  did  with  a  species  of  emo 
tion  that  bore  no  slight  resemblance  to  the  process  of 
strangulation. 

"Well,  well,"  returned  the  old  man,  meekly;  "I  hope 
there  is  no  heavy  offense  in  the  offer.  I  know  that  the 
skin  of  a  raccoon  is  of  small  price,  but  then  it  was  no 
mighty  labor  that  I  asked  in  return. ' ' 

"You  entirely  mistake  the  meaning  of  our  friend," 
interrupted  Middleton,  who  observed  that  the  bee-hunter 
was  looking  in  every  direction  but  the  right  one,  and  that 
he  was  utterly  unable  to  make  his  own  vindication.  "He 
did  not  mean  to  say  that  he  declined  the  charge,  but 
merely  that  he  refused  all  compensation.  It  is  unneces 
sary,  however,  to  say  more  of  this;  it  shall  be  my  office 
to  see  that  the  debt  we  owe  is  properly  discharged,  and 
that  all  your  necessities  shall  be  anticipated." 

"Anan!"  said  the  old  man,  looking  up  inquiringly  into 
the  other's  face,  as  if  to  ask  an  explanation. 

"It  shall  all  be  as  you  wish.  Lay  the  skins  with  my 
baggage.  We  will  bargain  for  you  as  for  ourselves. ' ' 

"Thankee,  thankee,  captain;  your  gran 'ther  was  of  a 
28 


434  THE  PRAIRIE 

free  and  generous  mind.  So  much  so,  in  truth,  that  those 
just  people,  the  Delawares,  called  him  the  'Open  Hand.' 
I  wish,  now,  I  was  as  I  used  to  be,  in  order  that  I  might 
send  in  the  lady  a  few  delicate  martins  for  her  tippets  and 
overcoats,  just  to  show  you  that  I  know  how  to  give  cour 
tesy  for  courtesy.  But  do  not  expect  the  same,  for  I  am 
too  old  to  give  a  promise!  It  will  all  be  just  as  the  Lord 
shall  see  fit.  I  can  offer  you  nothing  else,  for  I  haven't 
lived  so  long  in  the  wilderness  not  to  know  the  scrupulous 
ways  of  a  gentleman. ' ' 

"Harkee,  old  trapper,"  cried  the  bee-hunter,  striking 
his  own  hand  into  the  open  palm  which  the  other  had  ex 
tended,  with  a  report  but  little  below  the  crack  of  a  rifle, 
"I  have  just  two  things  to  say:  firstly,  that  the  captain  has 
told  you  my  meaning  better  than  I  can  myself;  and  sec 
ondly,  if  you  want  a  skin,  either  for  your  private  use  or 
to  send  abroad,  I  have  it  at  your  service;  and  that  is  the 
skin  of  one  Paul  Hover!" 

The  old  man  returned  the  grasp  he  received,  and  opened 
his  mouth  to  the  utmost,  in  his  extraordinary,  silent  laugh. 

"You  couldn't  have  given  such  a  squeeze,  boy,  when  the 
Teton  squaws  were  about  you  with  their  knives!  Ah!  you 
are  in  your  prime,  and  in  your  vigor  and  happiness,  if 
honesty  lies  in  your  path."  Then  the  expression  of  his 
rugged  features  suddenly  changed  to  a  look  of  seriousness 
and  thought.  "Come  hither,  lad,"  he  said,  leading  the 
bee-hunter  by  a  button,  to  the  land,  and  speaking  apart  in 
a  tone  of  admonition  and  confidence;  "much  has  passed 
atween  us  on  the  pleasures  and  respectableness  of  a  life  in 
the  woods  or  on  the  borders.  I  do  not  now  mean  to  say 
that  all  you  have  heard  is  not  true;  but  different  tempers 
call  for  different  employments.  You  have  taken  to  your 
bosom,  there,  a  good  and  kind  child,  and  it  has  become 
your  duty  to  consider  her,  as  well  as  yourself,  in  setting 
forth  in  life.  You  are  a  little  given  to  skirting  the  settle 
ments;  but  to  my  poor  judgment  the  girl  would  be  more 
like  a  flourishing  flower  in  the  sun  of  a  clearing,  than  in 
the  winds  of  a  prairie.  Therefore  forget  anything  you 
may  have  heard  from  me,  which  is  nevertheless  true,  and 
turn  your  mind  on  the  ways  of  the  inner  country. ' ' 

Paul  could  only  answer  with  a  squeeze  that  would  have 


THE   PRAIRIE  435 

brought  tears  from  the  eyes  of  most  men,  but  which  pro 
duced  no  other  effect  on  the  indurated  muscles  of  the 
other  than  to  make  him  laugh  and  nod,  as  if  he  received 
the  same  as  a  pledge  that  the  bee-hunter  would  remember 
his  advice.  The  trapper  then  turned  away  from  his  rough, 
but  warm-hearted  companion,  and  having  called  Hector 
from  the  boat,  he  seemed  anxious  still  to  utter  a  few 
words  more. 

"Captain,"  he  at  length  resumed,"  I  know  when  a  poor 
man  talks  of  credit  he  deals  in  a  delicate  word,  according 
to  the  fashions  of  the  world;  and  when  an  old  man  talks  of 
life,  he  speaks  of  that  which  he  may  never  see;  neverthe 
less  there  is  one  thing  I  will  say,  and  that  is  not  so  much 
on  my  own  behalf  as  on  that  of  another  person.  Here  is 
Hector,  a  good  and  faithful  pup,  that  has  long  outlived 
the  time  of  a  dog;  and,  like  his  master,  he  looks  more  to 
comfort,  now,  than  to  any  deeds  in  running.  But  the 
creatur'  has  his  feelings  as  well  as  a  Christian.  He  has 
consorted  latterly  with  his  kinsman,  there,  in  such  a  sort 
as  to  find  great  pleasure  in  his  company,  and  I  will  ac 
knowledge  that  it  touches  my  feelings  to  part  the  pair  so 
soon.  If  you  will  set  a  value  on  your  hound,  I  will  en 
deavor  to  send  it  to  you  in  the  spring,  more  especially 
should  them  same  traps  come  safe  to  hand;  or,  if  you  dis 
like  parting  with  the  animal  altogether,  I  will  just  ask 
you  for  his  loan  through  the  winter.  I  think  I  can  see  my 
pup  will  not  last  beyond  that  time,  for  I  have  judgment  in 
these  matters,  since  many  is  the  friend,  both  hound  and 
red-skin,  that  I  have  seen  depart  in  my  day,  though  the 
Lord  hath  not  yet  seen  fit  to  order  his  angels  to  sound 
forth  my  name." 

"Take  him,  take  him,"  cried  Middleton;  "take  all,  or 
anything!" 

The  old  man  whistled  the  younger  dog  to  the  land;  and 
then  he  proceeded  to  the  final  adieux.  Little  was  said  on 
either  side.  The  trapper  took  each  person  solemnly  by  the 
hand,  and  uttered  something  friendly  and  kind  to  all. 
Middleton  was  perfectly  speechless,  and  was  driven  to 
affect  busying  himself  among  the  baggage.  Paul  whistled 
with  all  his  might,  and  even  Obed  took  his  leave  with  an 
effort  that  bore  the  appearance  of  desperate  philosophical 


436  THE   PRAIRIE 

resolution.  When  he  had  made  the  circuit  of  the  whole, 
the  old  man,  with  his  own  hands,  shoved  the  boat  into  the 
current,  wishing  God  to  speed  them.  Not  a  word  was 
spoken,  nor  a  stroke  of  the  oar  given,  until  the  travelers 
had  floated  past  a  knoll  that  hid  the  trapper  from  their 
view.  He  was  last  seen  standing  on  the  low  point,  lean 
ing  on  his  rifle,  with  Hector  crouched  at  his  feet,  and  the 
younger  dog  frisking  along  the  sands,  in  the  playfulness 
of  youth  and  vigor. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

"  Me  thought  I  heard  a  voice.  " 

-SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  water-courses  were  at  their  height,  and  the  boat 
went  down  the  swift  current  like  a  bird.  The  passage 
proved  prosperous  and  speedy.  In  less  than  a  third  of  the 
time  that  would  have  been  necessary  for  the  same  journey 
by  land,  it  was  accomplished  by  the  favor  of  those  rapid 
rivers.  Issuing  from  one  stream  into  another,  as  the  veins 
of  the  human  body  communicate  with  the  larger  channels 
of  life,  they  soon  entered  the  grand  artery  of  the  western 
waters,  and  landed  safely  at  the  very  door  of  the  father 
of  Inez. 

The  joy  of  Don  Augustin,  and  the  embarrassment  of  the 
worthy  father  Ignatius,  may  be  imagined.  The  former 
wept  and  returned  thanks  to  Heaven;  the  latter  returned 
thanks  and  did  not  weep.  The  mild  provincials  were  too 
happy  to  raise  any  questions  on  the  character  of  so  joyful 
a  restoration;  and,  by  a  sort  of  general  consent,  it  soon 
came  to  be  an  admitted  opinion  that  the  bride  of  Middle- 
ton  had  been  kidnapped  by  a  villain,  and  that  she  was  re 
stored  to  her  friends  by  human  agency.  There  were,  as 
respects  this  belief,  certainly  a  few  skeptics,  but  then  they 
enjoyed  their  doubts  in  private,  with  that  species  of  sub 
limated  and  solitary  gratification  that  a  miser  finds  in 
gazing  at  his  growing,  but  useless  hoards. 

In  order  to  give  the  worthy  priest  something  to  employ 
his  mind,  Middleton  made  him  the  instrument  of  uniting 
Paul  and  Ellen.  The  former  consented  to  the  ceremony, 
because  he  found  that  all  his  friends  laid  great  stress  on 
the  matter;  but  shortly  after  he  led  his  bride  into  the 
plains  of  Kentucky,  under  the  pretense  of  paying  certain 
customary  visits  to  sundry  members  of  the  family  of 
Hover.  While  there,  he  took  occasion  to  have  the  mar 
riage  properly  solemnized  by  a  justice  of  the  peace  of  his 

437 


438  THE   PRAIRIE 

acquaintance,  in  whose  ability  to  forge  the  nuptial  chain 
he  had  much  more  faith  than  in  that  of  all  the  gownsmen 
within  the  pale  of  Rome.  Ellen,  who  appeared  conscious 
that  some  extraordinary  preventives  might  prove  necessary 
to  keep  one  of  so  erratic  a  temper  as  her  partner  within 
the  proper  matrimonial  boundaries,  raised  no  objections 
to  these  double  knots,  and  all  parties  were  content. 

The  local  importance  Middleton  had  acquired,  by  his 
union  with  the  daughter  of  so  affluent  a  proprietor  as  Don 
Augustin,  united  to  his  personal  merit,  attracted  the  at 
tention  of  the  government.  He  was  soon  employed  in 
various  situations  of  responsibility  and  confidence,  which 
both  served  to  elevate  his  character  in  the  public  estima 
tion,  and  to  afford  the  means  of  patronage.  The  bee- 
hunter  was  among  the  first  of  those  to  whom  he  saw  fit  to 
extend  his  favor.  It  was  far  from  difficult  to  find  situa 
tions  suited  to  the  abilities  of  Paul,  in  the  state  of  society 
that  existed  three-and-twenty  years  ago  in  those  regions. 
The  efforts  of  Middleton  and  Inez,  in  behalf  of  her  hus 
band,  were  warmly  and  sagaciously  seconded  by  Ellen,  and 
they  succeeded,  in  process  of  time,  in  working  a  great  and 
beneficial  change  in  his  character.  He  soon  became  a  land 
holder,  then  a  prosperous  cultivator  of  the  soil,  and  shortly 
after  a  town-officer.  By  that  progressive  change  in  for 
tunes,  which  in  the  republic  is  often  seen  to  be  so  singu 
larly  accompanied  by  a  corresponding  improvement  in 
knowledge  and  self-respect,  he  went  on,  from  step  to  step, 
until  his  wife  enjoyed  the  maternal  delight  of  seeing  her 
children  placed  far  beyond  the  danger  of  returning  to  that 
state  from  which  both  their  parents  had  issued.  Paul  is 
actually  at  this  moment  a  member  of  the  lower  branch  of 
the  legislature  of  the  State  where  he  has  long  resided; 
and  he  is  even  notorious  for  making  speeches  that  have  a 
tendency  to  put  that  deliberative  body  in  good  humor,  and 
ch,  as  they  are  based  on  great  practical  knowledge 

lited  to  the  condition  of  the  country,   possess  a  merit 

s  much  wanted  in  many  more  subtle  and  finespun 

theories,  that  are  daily  heard  in  similar  assemblies,  to  issue 

from  the  lips  of  certain  instinctive  politicians.     But  all 

iese  happy  fruits  were  the  results  of  much  care,  and  of  a 
long  period  of  time.  Middleton,  who  fills,  with  a  credit 


THE   PRAIRIE  439 

better  suited  to  the  difference  in  their  educations,  a  seat 
in  a  far  higher  branch  of  legislative  authority,  is  the 
source  from  which  we  have  derived  most  of  the  intelligence 
necessary  to  compose  our  legend.  In  addition  to  what  he 
has  related  of  Paul,  and  of  his  own  continued  happiness, 
he  has  added  a  short  narrative  of  what  took  place  on  a 
subsequent  visit  to  the  prairies,  with  which,  as  we  con 
ceive  it  a  suitable  termination  to  what  has  gone  before, 
we  shall  judge  it  wise  to  conclude  our  labors. 

In  the  autumn  of  the  year  that  succeeded  the  season  in 
which  the  preceding  events  occurred,  the  young  man,  still 
in  the  military  service,  found  himself  on  the  waters  of 
the  Missouri,  at  a  point  not  far  remote  from  the  Pawnee 
towns. 

Released  from  any  immediate  calls  of  duty,  and  strongly 
urged  to  the  measure  by  Paul,  who  was  in  his  company, 
he  determined  to  take  horse,  and  cross  the  country  to 
visit  the  partisan,  and  to  inquire  into  the  fate  of  his 
friend  the  trapper.  As  his  train  was  suited  to  his  func 
tions  and  rank,  the  journey  was  effected,  with  the  priva 
tions  and  hardships  that  are  the  accompaniments  of  all 
traveling  in  a  wild  country,  but  without  any  of  those  dan 
gers  and  alarms  that  marked  his  former  passage  through 
the  same  regions.  When  within  a  proper  distance,  he  des 
patched  an  Indian  runner,  belonging  to  a  friendly  tribe,  to 
announce  the  approach  of  himself  and  party,  continuing 
his  route  at  a  deliberate  pace,  in  order  that  the  intelligence 
might,  as  was  customary,  precede  his  arrival.  To  the 
surprise  of  the  travelers,  their  message  was  unanswered. 
Hour  succeeded  hour,  and  mile  after  mile  was  passed, 
without  bringing  either  the  signs  of  an  honorable  recep 
tion,  or  the  more  simple  assurances  of  a  friendly  welcome. 
At  length  the  cavalcade,  at  whose  head  rode  Middleton 
and  Paul,  descended  from  the  elevated  plain,  on  which 
they  had  long  been  journeying,  to  a  luxuriant  bottom, 
that  brought  them  to  the  level  of  the  village  of  the  Loups. 
The  sun  was  beginning  to  fall,  and  a  sheet  of  golden  light 
was  spread  over  the  placid  plain,  lending  to  its  even  sur 
face  those  glorious  tints  and  hues,  that  the  human  imagi 
nation  is  apt  to  conceive,  form  the  embellishment  of  still 
more  imposing  scenes.  The  verdure  of  the  year  yet  re- 


440  THE   PRAIRIE 

mained,  and  herds  of  horses  and  mules  were  grazing 
peacefully  in  the  vast  natural  pasture,  under  the  keeping 
of  vigilant  Pawnee  boys.  Paul  pointed  out  among  them 
the  well-known  form  of  Asinus,  sleek,  fat,  and  luxuriat 
ing  in  the  fulness  of  content,  as  he  stood  with  reclining 
ears  and  closed  eyelids,  seemingly  musing  on  the  exquisite 
nature  of  his  present  indolent  enjoyment. 

The  route  of  the  party  led  them  at  no  great  distance 
from  one  of  those  watchful  youths,  who  was  charged  with 
a  trust  heavy  as  the  principal  wealth  of  his  tribe.  He 
heard  the  trampling  of  the  horses,  and  cast  his  eye  aside, 
but  instead  of  manifesting  curiosity  or  alarm,  his  look 
instantly  returned  whence  it  had  been  withdrawn,  to  the 
spot  where  the  village  was  known  to  stand. 

"There  is  something  remarkable  in  all  this,"  muttered 
Middleton,  half  offended  at  what  he  conceived  to  be  not 
only  a  slight  to  his  rank,  but  offensive  to  himself  per 
sonally;  "yonder  boy  has  heard  of  our  approach,  or  he 
would  not  fail  to  notify  his  tribe;  and  yet  he  scarcely 
deigns  to  favor  us  with  a  glance.  Look  at  your  arms, 
men;  it  may  be  necessary  to  let  these  savages  feel  our 
strength." 

"Therein,  captain,  I  think  you're  in  an  error,"  re 
turned  Paul;  "if  honesty  is  to  be  met  on  the  prairies  at 
all,  you  will  find  it  in  our  old  friend  Hard-Heart;  neither 
is  an  Indian  to  be  judged  of  by  the  rules  of  a  white.  See ! 
we  are  not  altogether  slighted,  for  here  comes  a  party  at 
last  to  meet  us,  though  it  is  a  little  pitiful  as  to  show 
and  numbers. ' ' 

Paul  was  right  in  both  particulars.  A  group  of  horse 
men  were  at  length  seen  wheeling  round  a  little  copse, 
and  advancing  across  the  plain  directly  towards  them. 
The  advance  of  this  party  was  slow  and  dignified.  As  it 
drew  nigh,  the  partisan  of  the  Loups  was  seen  at  its  head, 
followed  by  a  dozen  younger  warriors  of  his  tribe.  They 
were  all  unarmed,  nor  did  they  even  wear  any  of  those 
ornaments  or  feathers  which  are  considered  testimonials 
respect  to  the  guest  an  Indian  receives,  as  well  as 
evidence  of  his  own  importance. 

The  meeting  was  friendly  though  a  little  restrained  on 
both  sides.  Middleton,  jealous  of  his  own  consideration, 


THE   PRAIRIE  441 

no  less  than  of  the  authority  of  his  government,  suspected 
some  undue  influence  on  the  part  of  the  agents  of  the 
Canadas;  and,  as  he  was  determined  to  maintain  the  au 
thority  of  which  he  was  the  representative,  he  felt  him 
self  constrained  to  manifest  a  hauteur  that  he  was  far 
from  feel  ing.  It  was  not  so  easy  to  penetrate  the  motives 
of  the  Pawnees.  Calm,  dignified,  and  yet  far  from  repul 
sive,  they  set  an  example  of  courtesy,  blended  with  re 
serve,  that  many  a  diplomatist  of  the  most  polished  court 
might  have  striven  in  vain  to  imitate. 

In  this  manner  the  two  parties  continued  their  course  to 
the  town.  Middleton  had  time  during  the  remainder  of 
the  ride,  to  revolve  in  his  mind  all  the  probable  reasons 
which  his  ingenuity  could  suggest  for  this  strange  recep 
tion.  Although  he  was  accompanied  by  a  regular  inter 
preter,  the  chiefs  made  their  salutations  in  a  manner  that 
dispensed  with  his  services.  Twenty  times  the  captain 
turned  his  glance  on  his  former  friend,  endeavoring  to 
read  the  expression  of  his  rigid  features.  But  every  effort 
and  all  conjectures  proved  equally  futile.  The  eye  of  Hard- 
Heart  was  fixed,  composed,  and  a  little  anxious;  but  as  to 
every  other  emotion,  impenetrable.  He  neither  spoke 
himself,  nor  seemed  willing  to  invite  discourse  in  his  vis 
itors;  it  was  therefore  necessary  for  Middleton  to  adopt 
the  patient  manners  of  his  companions,  and  to  await  the 
issue  for  the  explanation. 

When  they  entered  the  town,  its  inhabitants  were  seen 
collected  in  an  open  space,  where  they  were  arranged 
with  the  customary  deference-  to  age  and  rank.  The  whole 
formed  a  large  circle,  in  the  center  of  which  were  perhaps 
a  dozen  of  the  principal  chiefs.  Hard-Heart  waved  his 
hand  as  he  approached,  and,  as  the  mass  of  bodies  opened, 
he  rode  through,  followed  by  his  companions.  Here  they 
dismounted ;  and  as  the  beasts  were  led  apart,  the  strangers 
found  themselves  environed  by  a  thousand  grave,  com 
posed,  but  solicitous  faces. 

Middleton  gazed  about  him  in  growing  concern,  for  no 
cry,  no  song,  no  shout  welcomed  him  among  a  people, 
from  whom  he  had  so  lately  parted  with  regret.  His 
uneasiness,  not  to  say  apprehensions,  was  shared  by  all 
his  followers.  Determination  and  stern  resolution  began 


442  THE   PRAIRIE 

to  assume  the  place  of  anxiety  in  every  eye,  as  each  man 
silently  felt  for  his  arms,  and  assured  himself  that  his 
several  weapons  were  in  a  state  for  service.  But  there 
was  no  answering  symptom  of  hostility  on  the  part  of 
their  hosts.  Hard-Heart  beckoned  for  Middleton  and 
Paul  to  follow,  leading  the  way  towards  the  cluster  of 
forms  that  occupied  the  center  of  the  circle.  Here  the 
visitors  found  a  solution  of  all  the  movements  which  had 
given  them  so  much  reason  for  apprehension. 

The  trapper  was  placed  on  a  rude  seat,  which  had  been 
made,  with  studied  care,  to  support  his  frame  in  an  up 
right  and  easy  attitude.  The  first  glance  of  the  eye  told 
his  former  friends,  that  the  old  man  was  at  length  called 
upon  to  pay  the  last  tribute  of  nature.  His  eye  was 
glazed,  and  apparently  as  devoid  of  sight  as  of  expression. 
His  features  were  a  little  more  sunken  and  strongly  marked 
than  formerly;  but  there,  all  change,  so  far  as  exterior 
was  concerned,  might  be  said  to  have  ceased.  His  ap 
proaching  end  was  not  to  be  ascribed  to  any  positive 
disease,  but  had  been  a  gradual  and  mild  decay  of  the 
physical  powers.  Life,  it  is  true,  still  lingered  in  his 
system;  but  it  was  as  if  at  times  entirely  ready  to  de 
part,  and  then  it  would  appear  to  reanimate  the  sinking 
form,  reluctant  to  give  up  the  possession  of  a  tenement 
that  had  never  been  corrupted  by  vice  or  undermined  by 
disease.  It  would  have  been  no  violent  fancy  to  have 
imagined  that  the  spirit  fluttered  about  the  placid  lips  of 
the  old  woodsman,  reluctant  to  depart  from  a  shell  that 
had  so  long  given  it  an  honest  and  honorable  shelter. 

His  body  was  placed  so  as  to  let  the  light  of  the  setting 
sun  fall  full  upon  the  solemn  features.  His  head  was 
bare,  the  long,  thin  locks  of  gray  fluttering  lightly  in  the 
evening  breeze.  His  rifle  lay  upon  his  knee,  and  the 
other  accouterments  of  the  chase  were  placed  at  his  side, 
within  reach  of  his  hand.  Between  his  feet  lay  the  figure 
of  a  hound,  with  its  head  crouching  to  the  earth,  as  if  it 
slumbered;  and  so  perfectly  easy  and  natural  was  its 
position,  that  a  second  glance  was  necessary  to  tell  Mid 
dleton  he  saw  only  the  skin  of  Hector,  stuffed,  by  Indian 
tenderness  and  ingenuity,  in  a  manner  to  represent  the 
living  animal.  His  own  dog  was  playing  at  a  distance 


THE   PRAIRIE  443 

with  the  child  of  Tachechana  and  Mahtoree.  The  mother 
herself  stood  at  hand,  holding  in  her  arms  a  second  off 
spring,  that  might  boast  of  a  parentage  no  less  honorable 
than  that  which  belonged  to  the  son  of  Hard-Heart.  Le 
Balafre  was  seated  nigh  the  dying  trapper,  with  every 
mark  about  his  person  that  the  hour  of  his  own  departure 
was  not  far  distant.  The  rest  of  those  immediately  in  the 
center  were  aged  men,  who  had  apparently  drawn  near  in 
order  to  observe  the  manner  in  which  a  just  and-  fearless 
warrior  would  depart  on  the  greatest  of  his  journeys. 

The  old  man  was  reaping  the  rewards  of  a  life  remark 
able  for  temperance  and  activity,  in  a  tranquil  and  placid 
death.  His  vigor  in  a  manner  endured  to  the  very  last. 
Decay,  when  it  did  occur,  was  rapid,  but  free  from  pain. 
He  had  hunted  with  the  tribe  in  the  spring,  and  even 
throughout  most  of  the  summer;  when  his  limbs  suddenly 
refused  to  perform  their  customary  offices.  A  sympathiz 
ing  weakness  took  possession  of  all  his  faculties;  and  the 
Pawnees  believed  that  they  were  going  to  lose,  in  this 
unexpected  manner,  a  sage  and  counselor  whom  they  had 
begun  both  to  love  and  respect.  But,  as  we  have  already 
said,  the  immortal  occupant  seemed  unwilling  to  desert 
its  tenement.  The  lamp  of  life  flickered,  without  becom 
ing  extinguished.  On  the  morning  of  the  day  on  which 
Middleton  arrived,  there  was  a  general  reviving  of  the 
powers  of  the  whole  man.  His  tongue  was  again  heard 
in  wholesome  maxims,  and  his  eye  from  time  to  time 
recognized  the  persons  of  his  friends.  It  merely  proved 
to  be  a  brief  and  final  intercourse  with  the  world,  on  the 
part  of  one  who  had  already  been  considered,  as  to  mental 
communion,  to  have  taken  his  leave  of  it  forever. 

When  he  had  placed  his  guests  in  front  of  the  dying 
man,  Hard-Heart,  after  a  pause,  that  proceeded  as  much 
from  sorrow  as  decorum,  leaned  a  little  forward,  and 
demanded : 

"Does  my  father  hear  the  words  of  his  son?" 

"Speak,"  returned  the  trapper,  in  tones  that  issued 
from  his  chest,  but  which  were  rendered  awfully  distinct 
by  the  stillness  that  reigned  .in  the  place.  "I  am  about 
to  depart  from  the  village  of  the  Loups,  and  shortly  shall 
be  beyong  the  reach  of  your  voice." 


444  THE   PRAIRIE 

"Let  the  wise  chief  have  no  cares  for  his  journey," 
continued  Hard-Heart,  with  an  earnest  solicitude  that  led 
him  to  forget,  for  the  moment,  that  others  were  waiting 
to  address  his  adopted  parent;  "a  hundred  Loups  shall 
clear  his  path  from  briers." 

"Pawnee,  I  die,  as  I  have  lived,  a  Christian  man!" 
resumed  the  trapper,  with  a  force  of  voice  that  had  the 
same  startling  effect  on  his  hearers  as  is  produced  by  the 
trumpet,  when  its  blast  rises  suddenly  and  freely  on  the 
air,  after  its  obstructed  sounds  have  been  heard  strug 
gling  in  the  distance;  "as  I  came  into  life  so  will  I  leave 
it.  Horses  and  arms  are  not  needed  to  stand  in  the 
presence  of  the  Great  Spirit  of  my  people.  He  knows  my 
color,  and  according  to  my  gifts  will  he  judge  my  deeds." 

"My  father  will  tell  my  young  men  how  many  Mingoes 
he  has  struck,  and  what  acts  of  valor  and  justice  he  has 
done,  that  they  may  know  how  to  imitate  him." 

"A  boastful  tongue  is  not  heard  in  the  heaven  of  a 
white  man!"  solemnly  returned  the  old  man.  "What  I 
have  done,  He  has  seen.  His  eyes  are  always  open.  That 
which  has  been  well  done  will  He  remember;  wherein  I 
have  been  wrong  will  He  not  forget  to  chastise,  though 
He  will  do  the  same  in  mercy.  No,  my  son;  a  pale  face 
may  not  sing  his  own  praises,  and  hope  to  have  them 
acceptable  before  his  God!" 

A  little  disappointed,  the  young  partisan  stepped  mod 
estly  back,  making  way  for  the  recent  comers  to  approach. 
Middleton  took  one  of  the  meager  hands  of  the  trapper 
and  struggling  to  command  his  voice,  he  succeeded  in 
announcing  his  presence. 

The  old  man  listened  like  one  whose  thoughts  were 
dwelling  on  a  very  different  subject;  but  when  the  other 
had  succeeded  in  making  him  understand  that  he  was 
present,  an  expression  of  joyful  recognition  passed  over 
his  faded  features. 

"I  hope  you  have  not  so  soon  forgotten  those  whom  you 

so  materially  served ! ' '  Middleton  concluded.      ' ' It  would 

pain  me  to  think  my  hold  on  your  memory  was  so  light." 

'Little  that  I  have  ever  seen  is  forgotten, "  returned 

trapper;  "I  am  at  the  close  of  many  weary  days,  but 

there  is  not  one  among  them  all  that  I  could  wish  to  over- 


THE   PRAIRIE  445 

look.  I  remember  you,  with  the  whole  of  your  company; 
ay,  and  your  gran'ther,  that  went  before  you.  I  am  glad 
that  you  have  come  back  upon  these  plains,  for  I  had 
need  of  one  who  speaks  the  English,  since  little  faith  can 
be  put  in  the  traders  of  these  regions.  Will  you  do  a 
favor  to  an  old  and  dying  man?" 

"Name  it,"  said  Middleton;   "it  shall  be  done." 

"It  is  a  far  journey  to  send  such  trifles,"  resumed  the 
old  man,  who  spoke  at  short  intervals,  as  strength  and 
breath  permitted;  "a  far  and  weary  journey  is  the  same, 
but  kindnesses  and  friendships  are  things  not  to  be  for 
gotten.  There  is  a  settlement  among  the  Otsego  hills — 

"I  know  the  place,"  interrupted  Middleton,  observing 
that  he  spoke  with  increasing  difficulty;  "proceed  to  tell 
me  what  you  would  have  done. ' ' 

"Take  this  rifle,  and  pouch,  and  horn,  and  send  them 
to  the  person  whose  name  is  graven  on  the  plates  of  the 
stock — a  trader  cut  the  letters  with  his  knife — for  it  is 
long  that  I  have  intended  to  send  him  such  a  token  of  my 
love!" 

"It  shall  be  so.     Is  there  more  that  you  could  wish?" 

"Little  else  have  I  to  bestow.  My  traps  I  give  to  my 
Indian  son,  for  honestly  and  kindly  has  he  kept  his  faith. 
Let  him  stand  before  me." 

Middleton  explained  to  the  chief  what  the  trapper  had 
said,  and  relinquished  his  own  place  to  the  other. 

"Pawnee,"  continued  the  old  man,  always  changing 
his  language  to  suit  the  person  he  addressed,  and  not  un- 
frequently  according  to  the  ideas  he  expressed,  "it  is  a 
custom  of  my  people  for  the  father  to  leave  his  blessing 
with  the  son  before  he  shuts  his  eyes  forever.  This  bless 
ing  I  give  to  you;  take  it;  for  the  prayers  of  a  Christian 
man  will  never  make  the  path  of  a  just  warrior  to  the 
blessed  prairies  either  longer  or  more  tangled.  May  the 
God  of  a  white  man  look  on  your  deeds  with  friendly  eyes, 
and  may  you  never  commit  an  act  that  shall  cause  Him  to 
darken  His  face.  I  know  not  whether  we  shall  ever  meet 
again.  There  are  many  traditions  concerning  the  place 
of  Good  Spirits.  It  is  not  for  one  like  me,  old  and  ex 
perienced  though  I  am,  to  set  up  my  opinion  against  a 
nation's.  You  believe  in  the  blessed  prairies,  and  I  have 


446  THE   PRAIRIE 

# 

faith  in  the  sayings  of  my  fathers.  If  both  are  true,  our 
parting  will  be  final;  but  if  it  should  prove  that  the  same 
meaning  is  hid  under  different  words,  we  shall  yet  stand 
together,  Pawnee,  before  the  face  of  your  Wahcondah, 
who  will  then  be  no  other  than  rny  God.  There  is  much 
to  be  said  in  favor  of  both  religions,  for  each  seems  suited 
to  its  own  people,  and  no  doubt  it  was  so  intended.  I 
fear  I  have  not  altogether  followed  the  gifts  of  my  color, 
inasmuch  as  I  find  it  a  little  painful  to  give  up  forever 
the  use  of  the  rifle,  and  the  comforts  of  the  chase.  But 
then  the  fault  has  been  my  own,  seeing  that  it  could  not 
have  been  His.  Ay,  Hector,"  he  continued,  leaning  for 
ward  a  little,  and  feeling  for  the  ears  of  the  hound,  "our 
parting  has  come  at  last,  dog,  and  it  will  be  a  long  hunt. 
You  have  been  an  honest,  and  a  bold,  and  a  faithful 
hound.  Pawnee,  you  cannot  slay  the  pup  on  my  grave, 
for  where  a  Christian  dog  falls  there  he  lies  forever;  but 
you  can  be  kind  to  him  after  I  am  £rone,  for  the  love  you 
bear  his  master." 

"The  words  of  my  father  are  in  my  ears,"  returned  the 
young  partisan,  making  a  grave  and  respectful  gesture 
of  assent. 

"Do  you  hear  what  the  chief  has  promised,  dog?"  de 
manded  the  trapper,  making  an  effort  to  attract  the  notice 
of  the  insensible  effigy  of  his  hound.  Receiving  no  answer 
ing  look,  nor  hearing  any  friendly  whine,  the  old  man 
felt  for  the  mouth,  and  endeavored  to  force  his  hand 
between  the  cold  lips.  The  truth  then  flashed  upon  him, 
although  he  was  far  from  perceiving  the  whole  extent  of 
the  deception.  Falling  back  in  his  seat,  he  hung  his 
head,  like  one  who  felt  a  severe  and  unexpected  shock. 
Profiting  by  this  momentary  forgetfulness,  two  young 
Indians  removed  the  skin  with  the  same  delicacy  of  feeling 
that  had  induced  them  to  attempt  the  pious  fraud. 

"The  dog  is  dead!"  muttered  the  trapper,  after  a  pause 
of  many  minutes;  "a  hound  has  his  time  as  well  as  a 
man ;  and  well  has  he  filled  his  days !  Captain, ' '  he  added, 
making  an  effort  to  wave  his  hand  for  Middleton,  "I  am 
glad  you  have  come;  for  though  kind,  and  well-meaning 
according  to  the  gifts  of  their  color,  these  Indians  are  not 
the  men  to  lay  the  head  of  a  white  man  in  his  grave.  I 


THE   PRAIRIE  447 

have  been  thinking,  too,  of  this  dog  at  my  feet;  it  will 
not  do  to  set  forth  the  opinion  that  a  Christian  can  expect 
to  meet  his  hound  again;  still  there  can  be  little  harm  in 
placing  what  is  left  of  so  faithful  a  servant  nigh  the 
bones  of  his  master. ' ' 

"It  shall  be  as  you  desire." 

"I'm  glad  you  think  with  me  in  this  matter.  In  order, 
then,  to  save  labor,  lay  the  pup  at  my  feet;  or  for  that 
matter,  put  him  side  by  side.  A  hunter  need  never  be 
ashamed  to  be  found  in  company  with  his  dog!" 

"I  charge  myself  with  your  wish." 

The  old  man  made  a  long  and  apparently  a  musing 
pause.  At  times  he  raised  his  eyes  wistfully,  as  if  he 
would  again  address  Middleton,  but  some  innate  feeling 
appeared  always  to  suppress  his  words.  The  other,  who 
observed  his  hesitation,  inquired  in  a  way  most  likely  to 
encourage  him  to  proceed,  whether  there  was  aught  else 
that  he  could  wish  to  have  done. 

"I  am  without  kith  or  kin  in  the  wide  world!"  the 
trapper  answered;  "when  I  am  gone  there  will  be  an  end 
of  my  race.  We  have  never  been  chiefs;  but  honest,  and 
useful  in  our  way,  I  hope  it  cannot  be  denied  we  have 
always  proved  ourselves.  My  father  lies  buried  near 
the  sea,  and  the  bones  of  his  son  will  whiten  on  the 
prairies — 

"Name  the  spot,  and  your  remains  shall  be  placed  by 
the  side  of  your  father,"  interrupted  Middleton. 

"Not  so,  not  so,  captain.  Let  me  sleep  where  I  have 
lived — beyond  the  din  of  the  settlements!  Still  I  see  no 
need  why  the  grave  of  an  honest  man  should  be  hid,  like 
a  red-skin  in  his  ambushment.  I  paid  a  man  in  the  set 
tlements  to  make  and  put  a  graven  stone  at  the  head  of 
rny  father's  resting-place.  It  was  of  the  value  of  twelve 
beaver-skins,  and  cunningly  and  curiously  was  it  carved! 
Then  it  told  to  all  comers  that  the  body  of  such  a  Christian 
lay  beneath;  and  it  spoke  of  his  manner  of  life,  of  his 
years,  and  of  his  honesty.  When  we  had  done  with  the 
Frenchers  in  the  old  war  I  made  a  journey  to  the  spot,  in 
order  to  see  that  all  was  rightly  performed,  and  glad  I 
am  to  say,  the  workman  had  not  forgotten  his  faith." 

"And  such  a  stone  you  would  have  at  your  grave?" 


448  THE  PRAIRIE 

"I!  no,  no;  I  have  no  son  but  Hard-Heart,  and  it  is 
little  that  an' Indian  knows  of  white  fashions  and  usages. 
Besides,  I  am  his  debtor  already,  seeing  it  is  so  little  I 
have  done  since  I  have  lived  in  his  tribe.  The  rifle  might 
bring  the  value  of  such  a  thing— but  then  I  know  it  will 
give  the  boy  pleasure  to  hang  the  piece  in  his  hall,  for 
many  is  the  deer  and  the  bird  that  he  has  seen  it  destroy. 
No,  no,  the  gun  must  be  sent  to  him  whose  name  is  graven 
on  the  lock!" 

"But  there  is  one  who  would  gladly  prove  his  affection 
in  the  way  you  wish;  he  who  owes  you  not  only  his  own 
deliverance  from  so  many  dangers,  but  who  inherits  a 
heavy  debt  of  gratitude  from  his  ancestors.  The  stone 
shall  be  put  at  the  head  of  your  grave. ' ' 

The  old  man  extended  his  emaciated  hand,  and  gave 
the  other  a  squeeze  of  thanks. 

"I  thought  you  might  be  willing  to  do  it,  but  I  was 
backward  in  asking  the  favor,"  he  said,  "seeing  that  you 
are  not  of  my  kin.  Put  no  boastful  words  on  the  same, 
but  just  the  name,  the  age,  and  the  time  of  death,  with 
something  from  the  Holy  Book;  no  more,  no  more.  My 
name  will  then  not  be  altogether  lost  on  'arth;  I  need  no 
more." 

Middleton  intimated  his  assent,  and  then  followed  a 
pause  that  was  only  broken  by  distant  and  broken  sentences 
from  the  dying  man.  He  appeared  now  to  have  closed  his 
accounts  with  the  world,  and  to  await  merely  for  the  final 
summons  to  quit  it.  Middleton  and  Hard-Heart  placed 
themselves  on  the  opposite  sides  of  his  seat,  and  watched 
with  melancholy  solicitude  the  variations  of  his  coun 
tenance.  For  two  hours  there  was  no  very  sensible  altera 
tion.  The  expression  of  his  faded  and  time-worn  features 
was  that  of  a  calm  and  dignified  repose.  From  time  to 
time  he  spoke,  uttering  some  brief  sentence  in  the  way 
of  advice,  or  asking  some  simple  questions  concerning 
those  in  whose  fortunes  he  still  took  a  friendly  interest. 
During  the  whole  of  that  solemn  and  anxious  period  each 
individual  of  the  tribe  kept  his  place,  in  the  most  self- 
restrained  patience.  When  the  old  man  spoke,  all  bent 
their  heads  to  listen;  and  when  his  words  were  uttered, 
they  seemed  to  ponder  on  their  wisdom  and  usefulness. 


THE   PRAIRIE  449 

As  the  flame  drew  nigher  to  the  socket  his  voice  was 
bushed,  and  there  were  moments  when  his  attendants 
doubted  whether  he  still  belonged  to  the  living.  Middle- 
ton,  who  watched  each  wavering  expression  of  his  weather- 
beaten  visage  with  the  interest  of  a  keen  observer  of  human 
nature,  softened  by  the  tenderness  of  personal  regard, 
fancied  he  could  read  the  workings  of  the  old  man's  soul 
in  the  strong  lineaments  of  his  countenance.  Perhaps 
what  the  enlightened  soldier  took  for  the  delusion  of  mis 
taken  opinion  did  actually  occur — for  who  has  returned 
from  that  unknown  world  to  explain  by  what  forms,  and 
in  what  manner,  he  was  introduced  into  its  awful  pre 
cincts?  Without  pretending  to  explain  what  must  ever 
be  a  mystery  to  the  quick,  we  shall  simply  relate  facts  as 
they  occurred. 

The  trapper  had  remained  nearly  motionless  for  an 
hour.  His  eyes  alone  had  occasionally  opened  and  shut. 
When  opened,  his  gaze  seemed  fastened  on  the  clouds 
which  hung  around  the  western  horizon,  reflecting  the 
bright  colors,  and  giving  form  and  loveliness  to  the  glor 
ious  tints  of  an  American  sunset.  The  hour — the  calm 
beauty  of  the  season — the  occasion,  all  conspired  to  fill 
the  spectators  with  solemn  awe.  Suddenly,  while  musing 
on  the  remarkable  position  in  which  he  was  placed,  Mid- 
dleton  felt  the  hand  which  he  held  grasp  his  own  with 
incredible  power,  and  the  old  man,  supported  on  either 
side  by  his  friends,  rose  upright  to  his  feet.  For  a  mo 
ment  he  looked  about  him,  as  if  to  invite  all  in  presence 
to  listen  (the  lingering  remnant  of  human  frailty),  and 
then,  with  a  fine  military  elevation  of  the  head,  and  with 
a  voice  that  might  be  heard  in  every  part  of  that  numer 
ous  assembly,  he  pronounced  the  word: 

"Here!" 

A  movement  so  entirely  unexpected,  and  the  air  of 
grandeur  and  humility  which  were  so  remarkably  united 
in  the  mien  of  the  trapper,  together  with  the  clear  and 
uncommon  force  of  his  utterance,  produced  a  short  period 
of  confusion  in  the  faculties  of  all  present.  When  Mid- 
dleton  and  Hard-Heart,  each  of  whom  had  involuntarily 
extended  a  hand  to  support  the  form  of  the  old  man, 
turned  to  him  again,  they  found  that  the  subject  of  their 
29 


450  THE   PRAIRIE 

interest  was  removed  forever  beyond  the  necessity  of 
their  care.  They  mournfully  placed  the  body  in  its  seat, 
and  Le  Balafre  arose  to  announce  the  termination  of  the 
scene  to  the  tribe.  The  voice  of  the  old  Indian  seemed  a 
sort  of  echo  from  that  invisible  world  to  which  the  meek 
spirit  of  the  trapper  had  just  departed. 

"A  valiant,  a  just,  and  a  wise  warrior  has  gone  on  the 
path  which  will  lead  him  to  the  blessed  grounds  of  his 
people!"  he  said.  "When  the  voice  of  the  Wahcondah 
called  him,  he  was  ready  to  answer.  Go,  my  children; 
remember  the  just  chief  of  the  pale  faces,  and  clear  your 
own  tracks  from  briers!" 

The  grave  was  made  beneath  the  shade  of  some  noble 
oaks.  It  has  been  carefully  watched  to  the  present  hour 
by  the  Pawnees  of  the  Loup,  and  is  often  shown  to  the 
traveler  and  the  trader  as  a  spot  where  a  just  white  man 
sleeps.  In  due  time  the  stone  was  placed  at  its  head,  with 
the  simple  inscription  which  the  trapper  had  himself  re 
quested.  The  only  liberty  taken  by  Middleton  was  to 
add,  "May  no  wanton  hand  ever  disturb  his  remains!" 


A     000  569  486     4 


